Shadows and Secrets
by At the Shadows Edge
Summary: Jesse's trying to unravel two separate mysteries - untraceable warnings about raids on safe houses and a mysterious woman he ran into, literally. But can he solve either puzzle in time? AU Second Season, Eckhart is still running Genomex, Ashlocke is still alive. Crossover with The Pretender. No pairings.
1. Prologue

The entire story is already written. I'm just waiting on some beta reviewers for the second half. I'll be posting chapters fairly quickly. This is my first published fanfic. Reviews - constructive and/or encouraging - are welcome.

* * *

Juliana Nolan took a seat behind her desk, a single groomed eyebrow lifting slightly as she studied the scientist in front of her. "Where are we on the current research projects?"

"Project 215 is behind at the moment, Ms. Nolan." The man swallowed self-consciously, shoving his hands in the pockets of his wrinkled lab coat before continuing. "It seems one of the research subjects has gone missing."

"Missing?" The woman tapped her fingers on her desk for a moment. "And how does a research subject go missing, Doctor?"

The man had already been nervous. Now a cold sweat broke out on his forehead and his voice caught in his throat. It was rarely a good thing to be called into Ms. Nolan's office. He cleared his throat a few times before finally getting the words out. "It seems that subject 2457 has changed location and name since the last observation period, ma'am."

A stern expression turned the woman's classically beautiful face cold and imposing. Her voice was low, forcing the researcher to lean forward to catch her words. "Subject 2457 is vital to the project. Find that subject, bring it in, and make sure it does not go missing again. Use whatever means are necessary. Am I clear?"

The man nodded silently, almost spastically, clearly hoping the interview was over.

"Make sure all your coworkers understand as well." Juliana gestured to the door. "And keep me informed of your progress."

The woman watched as the scientist practically bolted out the door, but her mind was already turning to the next thing on her list for the day.

* * *

Stepping out of the electronics store, I blinked a few times, letting my eyes adjust to the sunlight. Scanning the street was a matter of habit, and I couldn't help the half-smile when I saw the two black SUVs parked not far away with their engines still running. And if the vehicles hadn't been clue enough, the matching suits and trench coats of the men getting out of them would have been a dead giveaway.

It looked like someone had noticed I was in town. That could make for an interesting weekend - certainly more interesting than staying at Sanctuary would have been. It might even be fun. Did they really think I'd come into the city without knowing my escape routes?

I stood in the doorway of the store long enough to make sure the agents saw me before heading down the street at a casual pace. No reason to let them know I'd spotted them yet. They'd realize it soon enough.

Once the second pair of agents joined in, I picked up the pace until I was running. I cut down a side alley, reviewing my options as I ran. They really ought to know by know that I never came into the city by myself unless I knew all my options. And I had plenty of them down here. That was one of the reasons I'd picked that particular store.

It was cool enough that I hadn't started to sweat yet, but the breeze had been cut off the minute I entered the alley. The stench of rotting garbage reminded me of where I was just as the end of the alley opened up to a cross street. The brick stung my left hand as I slapped the corner of the building, changing my direction without losing much of my momentum.

I glanced over my shoulder at the sound of cursing. This set of agents appeared to be in pretty good shape. They weren't out of breath yet, despite the cursing. It looked like I might have to pull out another trick or two to get away from them. It was a good thing I had plenty of resources down here, though it would take a few minutes before I could use any of them.

I had to keep glancing back to make sure the agents had me in sight, which was a little annoying, but it never hurt to let them think they were close to catching up as long as I didn't let them. It's not like I had any immediate backup and even a few hours in custody was more than I wanted to experience. I'd been there and done that already.

Finally the landmarks I'd been looking for came into view. A quick left and then a right, and I reached out and grabbed for the signpost on my right. I let the signpost pivot me ninety degrees and the concrete wall of the building filled my vision.

No doubt the agents were confused when they came around that same corner. It was a dead-end. I'm sure they even did a thorough job of inspecting it for hidden doors and passages but they wouldn't have found anything. As far as they were concerned, I'd disappeared into thin air, which wasn't going to make their boss very happy.

I didn't quite disappear into thin air. You see, I'm a molecular class mutant. What I did was to lower my molecular density until I could pass through the wall instead of running into it head first. We call it phasing. I could have phased the wall, but when its just me and timing is an issue, its easier to just phase myself. I can do the opposite too - raise the molecular density of my body. Its kind of fun to watch the expressions the first time agents see their bullets bounce off me.

Now I'd picked that particular wall to phase through for a good reason. It was the outside wall of one our safe-houses for the mutant Underground. I could rest a little, check on the computer systems, and contact Sanctuary from here. If I remembered correctly, I might even have a change of clothes stashed somewhere in the building.

After I caught my breath, I grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and headed down to the basement. The main computer was down there, and I might as well run a system diagnostic and check the messages while I waited for my pursuers to give up for today.

With the system diagnostic under way, I brought up the messages from the hot line. Most of them were pretty standard - new mutants looking for help. One though - I exhaled slowly, biting my lower lip and running my hand through my hair as I listened to it a second time. The voice was modified and there was no way of telling from my end if it was male or female. This was the second call this month warning us of a planned raid on one of our safe-houses. The previous call had been accurate. Even more troubling, the number was untraceable.

I sent the message on to Sanctuary with a high priority tag and hoped it wasn't the beginning of a trend. The diagnostic had finished by then and I checked the results. After uploading a few patches to the security system, I hunted up the extra clothes I'd left here on my last visit. By the time I'd changed, I figured it was pretty safe to head back to where I'd parked the car.


	2. Spilled Coffee

I'm going to try to post a new section every other day. If I get ambitious, I may post more often.

* * *

The rich smell of roasting coffee wafted through the door of City North Coffee as I slipped inside. It was crowded, not surprising at this time of day, with the college and several large businesses nearby. The noise of so many quiet conversations was enough to cover the sound of door closing behind me. In a dark slacks and white button down shirt, I didn't exactly blend in on a Saturday, but I didn't really stand out that much either.

Despite this morning's little bit of exercise, I still had a fair amount of time before my meeting with the realtor across town, so I headed to the counter to place an order. I could relax with a good coffee and catch up on the local and financial news. I'd been here before, so I didn't really have to think about what I was ordering. Instead, I let my thoughts center of the list of tasks I needed to accomplish while I was in town this weekend.

You'd think after that morning's adventure I'd pay a little more attention to my surroundings. City North was safe enough though. I'd taken a good look around when I first came in and there weren't any GS agents present. That's why I let my attention wander.

My attention re-centered on the here and now pretty quickly when someone bumped me and sent a nearly scalding wave of coffee down the front of my shirt. I blinked and focused on the auburn haired woman I'd just collided with. She looked up, an apologetic expression on her face, and froze. It was just for a second, but when I caught the grass green gaze, I froze too. I was pretty sure we'd never met, but I could swear there was a sense of recognition for both of us.

xxxxx

Rose Briggs was mentally reviewing her current work situation as she headed to the counter to order another coffee. It wasn't a pleasant review. She'd taken the job because it offered her the opportunity to find some information she'd needed, but so far she hadn't had any luck uncovering it. The job itself wasn't bad, but her employer was becoming more objectionable, especially to someone with her abilities, as the days and weeks went by. It was getting bad enough that she was starting to have trouble getting to sleep at night.

She felt the man's presence just before she bumped into him. She'd rebounded a few steps before it actually registered. Embarrassment brought a flush to her cheeks, and she saw the coffee staining his shirt even as she lifted her eyes to see his face.

She'd already started to apologize when blue eyes met her gaze and the words froze. Abilities she'd learned to trust a long time ago told her she knew the victim of her inattention, even as her memory told her otherwise. She stood silent, caught in his gaze and her own confusion, until she blinked and the connection was broken.

"Oh my gods! I'm so sorry. I wasn't paying attention!" Rose snagged some napkins from the closest table. Handing them to the man, she took the nearly empty coffee cup from him, using the instinctive actions to try to regain some of her composure.

He took the offered napkins with a wry smile and soaked up the worst of the damage. "Not your fault. My mind was somewhere else completely."

His voice was more amused than irritated, which relieved Rose just a bit. He seemed a little distracted as he continued to soak up the spilled coffee, so she took the opportunity to study him. The slacks and button down shirt said corporate, though the dark blonde hair was cut just a bit longer than she'd expect from a young executive. He had a trim build, but she'd gotten the impression of solid muscle when she'd collided with him. Combined with the warm blue eyes a person could drown in, as she'd already discovered, he probably got a lot of attention from both genders.

She was still trying to figure out why he felt so familiar, why she felt like she could trust him, when something about his shirt caught her attention. A closer, covert look found what she was looking for and she sucked in a quiet breath. His shirt was high end designer. Either he was very successful or her hapless victim was dressed in his best for some event or interview. Just her luck to potentially ruin someone's chances for a job or promotion or something.

xxxxx

"I am so sorry! Unless I miss my guess, you're dressed for something special."

The words, and the anxiety in the soft, contralto voice jolted me out of my thoughts. Not that they'd been that far away. I'd been trying to figure out why this woman reminded me of Emma, and if she'd felt that same shock of recognition that I had when we met glances. That anxiety was far more than the situation called for though, so I pushed my thoughts to the background for the moment.

"No worry. I've got time to pick up a new shirt or get to the hotel and change. It's not a big deal, really." I tried to reassure the woman, though it didn't seem to do much good. She met my eyes for a split second before looking away, and it was obvious my reassurance wasn't having much of an effect.

"That's an expensive shirt." She glanced at me again very briefly before continuing, her words hesitant. "If you've got time to get a new one, I can save you the cost. I can clean it, if you're willing to come to my place."

I cocked my head to the side, considering. Maybe she had felt what I had earlier. Or maybe she was just impetuous. I was already intrigued and wondered if she might be a new mutant. Despite that sense of recognition, it did seem more than a bit risky for her to be inviting a stranger to her home though, and I said as much.

"I'm a better than average judge of character." Was that an indirect way of saying she had unusual abilities? I couldn't tell, though it was seeming more likely. I couldn't help but smile at the somewhat mischievous glint in her green eyes as she stuck out her hand and introduced herself. "Rose Briggs."

That little shock happened again when I took her hand. "Jesse Kilmartin, nice to meet you."

The introduction didn't seem to reassure Rose, in fact, by the way she pulled her hand from mine, it seemed to make her more uncomfortable. I watched as she ducked her head to hide her expression. It bothered me, though I didn't know why.

After a moment she chuckled, though it sounded a bit forced. The look she gave me when she raised her head was straight forward with just a bit of pleading in it. "Now we're not strangers..." A slight smile touched her lips. "Strange maybe, but not strangers. Now, are you going to let me fix your shirt? It's my fault its stained in the first place."

We could argue about that for quite awhile since I knew I hadn't been paying any more attention to my surroundings than Rose had been. It occurred to me then that we were still standing in the middle of the coffee house and blocking traffic. I smiled back at her and ran through my options. I still didn't know if she was a new mutant, and if she was Adam needed to know about her. Even if she wasn't, there was that sense of familiarity that I still hadn't figured out. And it wasn't as if she posed any real danger to me. If she was willing to take the risk, there really wasn't any reason for me not to take her up on it.

"If you feel that strongly about it, I guess I have to. I wouldn't want to call your judgment into question." I nodded and motioned toward the door. At the very least I could get us out of the way of City North's other customers. We stepped outside and a cool breeze seemed to kick my brain back into gear.

Rose paused just out of the way of the door. "My place is within walking distance, but I can give you the address if you want to move your car."

There was an uncertainty in her voice that hadn't been there before, but now wasn't the time to figure out what caused it. I half nodded. "I could use a walk, lead the way."

We didn't talk, but it wasn't silent long enough to become uncomfortable. Rose hadn't lied when she said her place was close. The house she led me to was small, with a postage stamp sized yard, but it was in decent shape and gave a welcoming impression.

xxxxx

Rose didn't know why she made the offer. There was that sense of recognition but that was hardly reason enough to invite someone she didn't know to her home. When the man introduced himself, all the pieces fell into place. Jesse Kilmartin. She'd never met him, but it explained why her abilities had "recognized" him.

It also proved her luck wasn't getting any better. Of all the people for her to run into, she had to run into one that could pose a real danger to her. Yet another reason to regret where she currently worked because her sympathies definitely lay with Jesse and those he worked with.

At this point Rose could only hope that her employer didn't find out she'd run into him. She almost regretted making the offer to clean his shirt, but only almost. Yes, it would cause trouble for her if her bosses found out, but at the same time, she really did want to get to know Jesse better. And she couldn't take the offer back now without raising questions in Jesse's mind. She already had more than enough questions to deal with.

Unsettled as she was, she appreciated the silence as they walked. Jesse didn't seem to feel the need to keep up conversation. In fact he seemed fairly deep in thought himself. Whatever he was thinking, the quiet gave her the time to regain some of her composure.

Still, she fumbled a bit as she unlocked the door. She had just enough time to do a quick scan of the living room and make sure it was presentable before she swung the door open wide enough to let her companion in. Rose gestured to the couch as she hung her bag on the closet doorknob.

"Make yourself comfortable." On her own ground, she felt a little more comfortable and her voice warmed up a little as she headed toward the kitchen. "Can I get you some coffee or tea or something? I can't match City North, but I do have some whole bean Colombian I can brew up."

Jesse cocked his head to the side, watching her as he sat down on the sofa. She wasn't sure what he was thinking, but she was pretty sure he wasn't going to tell her. "Coffee would be good, but don't brew up a pot if it's just on my account."

This time her chuckle wasn't forced. "If I brew it, I'll drink it. Don't worry about it going to waste. Just give me a sec."

The tiny galley kitchen wasn't much, but there was enough room for the necessities. It only took her a couple of minutes to grind the coffee and get the coffeemaker going. As the smell of brewing coffee filled the small space, she returned to the living room, glad to see that Jesse seemed comfortable enough for the moment. Seeing the brown stain on the white shirt made her sigh, but she covered it up. "It'll just be a couple of minutes. Let me see if I can find something for you to wear while I get your shirt cleaned."

It had been a long time since she'd been involved in a relationship, but her ex had left a few things behind. Hopefully one of them was a shirt that would fit her guest. Besides, looking for it meant that Jesse didn't have the opportunity to ask any uncomfortable questions.

After digging through a few drawers, Rose found a t-shirt that should work. Returning to the living room, she tossed it at the blonde. "This should fit. My ex left it behind."

xxxxx

I caught the shirt Rose threw in my direction, not certain what to make of her words. I tried to keep the frown from my face as I just nodded and said thanks. I'm not sure my host even heard me as she disappeared into her kitchen again.

As I changed into the borrowed shirt, I had to wonder if Rose was trying to avoid me. Maybe now that she'd had some time to think, she was regretting her offer. I couldn't blame her if she was, but I was hoping that wasn't the case.

"How do you like your coffee?" Rose poked her head out of the kitchen, obviously waiting for his answer.

"Black is fine, thanks." I tried to catch her eye, but she disappeared as soon as she had her answer.

It was a few more minutes before she came out again, setting a mug in front of me. She flashed a slight smile in my direction as she gathered up the shirt and undershirt, but she disappeared back into the kitchen again before I could say a word.

After a moment I heard the sound of running water from the kitchen. It struck me as a bit odd, but I had to assume Rose knew what she was doing. I let it go and studied the living room, trying to see what it could tell me about my new acquaintance.

Something about the place reminded me of Sanctuary. Physically, it wasn't anything like home, but it felt comfortable and welcoming all the same. At the same time, there wasn't anything personal about it. I mean, it fit what little I knew about Rose, and it was comfortable in a kind of average way. But it didn't give any clue as to what her interests were or what she did for a living.

There were no personal pictures, no books laying around. Even the few pieces of artwork on the walls were the generic kind you could buy at any hobby or art store. There was a closed laptop on the corner of the coffee table but that was about it.

Despite the comfortable feel of the place, it struck me as wrong that there was no sense of personality about it. It was obvious that Rose had lived her for awhile, so the lack wasn't because she had just moved in. Everything I could see indicated that she spent a fair amount of time here, so why didn't it reflect her more?

My thoughts were interrupted as Rose took a seat across from me, a mug of light coffee cupped between her hands. I covered my startlement with a sip of surprisingly good coffee from my own mug, only then noticing the sound of a dryer in the background.

"It shouldn't take too long to dry." Rose offered a smile, but she didn't seem any more comfortable than she had earlier. I felt like I needed to do something about that. No one should be uncomfortable in their own home, but I was at a loss for how to change the situation. The best I could think of was to try to get a conversation started.

"So, what do you do when you're not inviting strangers into your house, Rose?" I meant the question to be joking, but it didn't really come out that way. I couldn't help it. Rose had sparked my curiosity.

The question seemed to make her uncomfortable and I sighed as she took a drink from her mug. Probably to giver herself time to think about her answer. I marked another one down on the "something's not right here" meter in the back of my head.

"Work mostly," Rose shrugged, fidgeting with her mug. "I'm a technical researcher and writer for a scientific research firm. When I'm not working I'm usually coding websites."

I didn't get the feeling she was lying, but I wasn't sure she was telling me the whole truth either. There was something about her voice, about the way she spoke that made me think there was more to it, but she obviously didn't want to talk about it. I really wanted to draw her out, get her to give me something personal. "Doesn't sound too satisfying for you."

"Unfortunately true, but it does pay the bills." She shrugged slightly, looking at her mug instead of me. "There are other, less tangible, benefits to the work."

Now that was an interesting little tidbit of information. Too bad it didn't really tell me anything, but I filed it away anyway. Time to change the subject before things got even more uncomfortable. "So, you appreciate good coffee. What do you like to eat?"

Now Rose glanced at me and there was faint appreciation in her expression. Most likely for the change of subject, I guessed. She took a few seconds to consider the question and then shrugged. "I'm not picky really. I suppose I have a fondness for Italian if I have to chose."

Now that was a subject I knew about. I could keep the conversation going for a good while. Something about my mutation keeps my metabolism very active so I eat a lot, and Italian is one of my favorite kinds of food. I was surprised by how much Rose knew about it though. I grew up around traditional Tuscan cooking, but it seemed my host had a pretty good knowledge of regional styles in Italy.

I was enjoying the conversation and Rose seemed to have relaxed some. Enough to argue for her favorite dishes with me anyway. I was so involved in the discussion that I didn't notice the odd expression on Rose's face at first. In fact, it wasn't until she tilted her head to one side and studied me for a moment that it registered.

"You speak Italian fluently." The corner of her mouth quirked upward in an almost smile. "In fact, I'd guess you grew up with it."

My brain did a dead stop and I knew I was gaping. I closed my mouth and picked up my mug. A swallow or two drained the last of the coffee and gave me the change to get my thoughts back into gear. I knew I was frowning a bit, but I couldn't help it. "Yeah..." I looked at Rose as I set my empty mug on the table. "But how did you figure that out?"

She flashed me a half-smile over the rim of her mug that contained just a bit of amusement. "I lived in Tuscany for a few months. Never learned to speak the language very well, but I learned enough to understand it and tell the regional differences apart." She shrugged with a slight nod in my direction as she continued. "You say certain words, mostly food related, with a Tuscan accent."

Chalk up another mark on the list I was compiling in the back of my mind. Rose was certainly observant. I shook my head slightly before saying anything else. "My grandmother was from Tuscany. We mostly spoke Italian around her at home." I knew my voice betrayed something of my surprise, but I smiled. "You're good."

I noticed a slight blush on Rose's cheeks as she shrugged. "Technical researchers have to be observant."

The dryer buzzed just then and Rose set her mug down as she rose. I thought she was heading into the other room, but instead she pulled an ironing board from the closet and set it up. She ducked into the room where the dryer was before I could say anything.

"Starched or just ironed?" Her voice was a little muffled, but clear enough to understand.

I hadn't expected her to do anything other than clean the shirt, so despite the ironing board, it took me a few seconds to answer. "Just ironed is fine, Rose, but you really don't have to go to the trouble."

"A wrinkled shirt isn't going to make a good impression, Jesse, no matter how expensive the suit and tie are." The words were accompanied by a half laugh as she came back into the living room and tossed me my undershirt.

I couldn't really argue with her reasoning, though I winced internally at the bit about the suit and tie. She made quick work of ironing the shirt, and I just watched. More and more just didn't add up, but it made me more curious rather than uncomfortable. When she was finished, Rose handed me the shirt before gathering up the mugs and heading for the kitchen.

I was just buttoning the cuffs when Rose returned. I grinned, wanting her to know that I appreciated not only the shirt, but her company as well. "Thanks. This was certainly more fun than replacing the shirt. It looks like new. The coffee and the company were pretty good too."

"Least I could do, since it was my fault." Rose leaned against the wall, her arms crossed and though she smiled a little, the discomfort from earlier seemed to have returned.

I shook my head just a little, but decided not to argue the point with her. It wouldn't do anything but make her more uncomfortable which was the last thing I wanted. What I wanted was to find out more about her but I didn't have any excuse to stick around. Rose knew that I had an appointment this afternoon. Then again I also had a reservation this evening.

"Look, I've got a reservation at Cucina della Nonna for tonight and I hate to eat alone. I could use some company, Rose. Join me?"

xxxxx

Rose had been trying not to think once they'd entered the house. Making coffee and cleaning Jesse's shirt had kept her occupied but finally she had to sit down and be sociable. Jesse seemed to realize she was uncomfortable and when he turned the discussion to food, she was grateful. To be honest, she had enjoyed the conversation.

And she had to admit to enjoying the expression on his face when she told him he spoke Italian. It didn't occur to her that her observation might raise some questions she had no desire to answer until after she'd made it. Luckily the dryer finished its cycle and saved her from any uncomfortable questions Jesse might have had for her.

By the time she'd ironed his shirt and returned it to him and taken the mugs back into the kitchen, Rose felt like she might get through the whole thing without there being too much in the way of consequences.

His smile when he thanked her, made her reconsider. It was boyish and endearing, making the blue eyes sparkle. It also made her uneasy, though she wasn't sure why. Given what she'd seen so far, Jesse was unlikely to let this remain just a passing acquaintance. She liked what she knew of him and his team. And that was far more than he realized. But as much as she liked him, just knowing him was likely to cause her trouble.

She almost missed his invitation, but the name of the restaurant caught her attention. Cucina della Nonna was one of the best eateries in the city. Expensive and exclusive, it was someplace she'd always wanted to go to, but it was way out of her price range. She inhaled and let the breath out slowly giving Jesse a wistful smile.

"I appreciate the offer, Jesse, but Cucina's a bit out of my budget."

She hoped he'd accept the excuse and worried the inside of her bottom lip as she waiting for his reaction. She'd already taken a big enough risk. If anyone at work found out she went out to dinner with him, she'd be in more trouble than she even wanted to think about.

Rose bit her lip as she watched him. He frowned, playing with his earlobe for a moment before saying anything. When he finally did speak, his voice was sincere and he tried to keep eye contact with her. "I'd really like your company, Rose. Don't worry about the check. Seriously, I really hate eating alone."

She sighed, trying to gauge just how stubborn he was likely to be about this and didn't much like the answer. For whatever reason, Jesse was determined to get her to accept his offer. She studied him for a long few seconds, actually meeting his eyes before she finally replied. "Why do I get the feeling you're going to pester me until I agree to go?"

He flashed that endearing grin at her again and shrugged lightly. "My friends do say I can be stubborn as a rock." Glancing down, he straightened his cuffs before looking at her again. "Pick you up at seven?"

Rose expelled a breath and couldn't help but laugh a little. "All right. if you're going to be that insistent. You really don't have to though."

Her guest just grinned as he headed for the door. "I'll take that as a yes. See you this evening."

Rose leaned back against the wall as the door closed behind her, wondering not only what she had gotten herself into, but how she'd managed to do it.


	3. An Italian Interlude

Looking at empty industrial warehouses isn't really my idea of fun, but did provide me with the excuse I needed to get out of Sanctuary most weekends. Ever since Adam turned the financial arrangements over to me, I'd made a point of seeing any property we were thinking of purchasing. It only made sense since I was usually the one setting up the security arrangements as well.

I waited until I was parked at the realtor's office before putting on my tie and coat. Yes, they were high end and tailored specifically for me, but I still didn't much like wearing them. They brought back too many memories I would rather just forget. Unfortunately, the realtor had to have confidence that I could afford the properties we were looking at, and that meant looking and acting the part, even if it reminded me uncomfortably of my life before Mutant X.

It was a good thing I didn't have to pay too close attention though, because half my mind was elsewhere as we looked at two properties. Several things about Rose were nagging at me and I was trying to figure out why. Outwardly, there wasn't anything I could pin it on, but there was something about the woman that just didn't add up.

Her reaction to my dinner invitation was one of the things I was trying to puzzle out. I hadn't missed the way her eyes had lit up when I extended the offer. But that reaction was followed just as quickly by disappointment and unease, though Rose had hidden it well. I'd gotten the impression she wanted to accept but was afraid to. I'd had to resort to being stubborn to get her to agree to something she wanted to do in the first place and that didn't make any sense at all to me.

There was a lot about my new acquaintance that just wasn't making sense. She had seemed friendly enough but at the same time she'd been uncomfortable. I'd already noted that something about her reminded me of Emma and there had been that little shock when we first met.

I still hadn't been able to figure out for sure if she was a new mutant, either. Part of me was pretty sure she was. That she reminded him of Emma might mean she was an empath, but it might not. Even if she was one of them, it was possible she didn't know it herself. Empaths were the least likely to realize their abilities were something other than natural. Or maybe she did know and was afraid of what other people might think if they found out. Either way, Adam needed to know about her. He might have other ways to figure out what she was or wasn't.

Finally we were done looking at the properties. I made arrangements to meet with the realtor in the morning with my decisions and headed back to the hotel. I still had a little bit of time to burn before picking Rose up. A quick shower would get the dust off and use up the time. At least I could leave the jacket and tie behind. While Cucina did have a dress code, it didn't require them.

I pulled the Mustang up the the curb in front of Rose's house just a few minutes after seven. Admittedly, my steps were a bit quick, but Rose answered the door promptly after I knocked. Dressed in black slacks and an emerald silk blouse, she almost looked like a different person. I was surprised, but pleased. She'd fit in at the restaurant without a problem. To cover my surprise, I executed a half bow and extended my arm with a grin.

Rose took a moment to pick up her keys and purse before taking my arm. I saw an all to rare, at least from what I'd seen so far, amusement in her eyes as she closed the door behind her. I had to wonder if she'd changed her mind about whatever had been bothering her earlier, or if she'd just decided to ignore it and enjoy the evening.

"Very nice." The words were quiet, but I still heard them and I glanced over at her. Rose's eyes were on the car and I had to grin a bit more.

"Thanks. She's fun to drive." Opening the passenger door, I handed her into the car. My grin faded to a slight smile as I slid into the driver's seat and put the car in gear. Maybe getting Rose out of the house would make it easier to learn a little more about her. I kept quiet and so did she, but it was a comfortable silence, with no expectations on either side.

Less than fifteen minutes later, I pulled the car up to the valet. I tossed the keys to the attendant as I opened the passenger door and offered Rose my arm. This time I got a gentle smile as she took it. Hopefully it was a step in the right direction.

Giovanni greeted me as soon as we walked through the door and I tried to keep an eye on Rose's reaction as I spoke with him.

"Signore Kilmartin, a pleasure to see you again! And with a lovely guest this evening. Your usual table is ready for you."

I'd forgotten about that and turned to Rose with a somewhat sheepish grin. "Do you mind sitting near the kitchen? The critics don't consider it the best table in the house, but I do."

Rose shook her head slightly, looking just a bit amused. "It seems you're a regular here. I'm more than happy to follow your lead, Jesse."

I turned back to the maitre dé with a smile. "The usual table it is, Giovanni"

He nodded and lead the way toward the back of the restaurant.

"Is Mamma in tonight or is it her night off?" Mamma owns the place. We're not related but when she decides she's adopted you, you don't really get a say in the matter.

"It was her night off, Signore," Giovanni glanced back at me with a chuckle, "but then she saw your name on the reservation list and insisted on coming in. I will let her know you are here with a guest as soon as you are seated."

I had to laugh a little as I held Rose's chair for her. That sounded like Mamma all right. Thanking Giovanni, I settled into my seat and handed the beverage menu to Rose. "Choose whatever you like, but don't take too long. I'm pretty sure Giovanni will be back in a few minutes to offer a visit to the kitchen."

I watched Rose page through the menu, scanning all the options. Her choice, when she voiced it, surprised me a bit. "Peroni, if that's okay. I know wine's the usual choice, but I'm not really much of a wine drinker."

I nodded. It was a good choice and I certainly didn't mind something other than wine. "I don't order wine much myself. Peroni sounds like a good choice tonight."

I had just enough time to place our drink orders before Giovanni returned and ushered us into the kitchen. We had barely entered her domain before Mamma appeared and I bent down to kiss her cheeks. I couldn't help but laugh as she burst into rapid Italian and I motioned her to slow down. "It's good to see you too, Mamma. In English tonight, please. My friend doesn't speak Italian."

Rose's eyes sparkled with amusement as she spoke in a soft voice, modifying what I'd said. "Not much and very badly, anyway."

Mamma smiled at both of us and I thought I knew what she was thinking, though I desperately hoped I was wrong. "Mamma, this is Rose. She's a new friend and she lived in Tuscany for a while."

Rose nodded to Mamma, leaning in when the older woman motioned her closer. I couldn't hear what was said, but Rose giggled and shook her head. It definitely made me curious, but I wasn't about to ask at that moment. They seemed to be making a good impression on each other and that was enough for now.

There was a glint in Mamma's eyes that I wasn't sure I liked when she turned and gave me a little push toward the door. "You go, sit. I will make you food. Tell me what you drink tonight."

"Peroni, Mamma. No wine for us tonight." I had to chuckle as I shook my head and gave her a gentle hug. "Just a friendly dinner, nothing more."

Ushering Rose out of the kitchen, I couldn't help but see that she was stifling laughter. Curiosity was killing me, but I waited until we were both seated again, with our drinks in front of us, before asking.

I think I probably blushed a little as Rose started laughing. It took a minute or two for her to get the laughter under control, but I didn't mind. I had the feeling she didn't laugh often enough. "She's a typical Italian grandmother and she's adopted you." Rose giggled again, green eyes sparkling with contained mirth as she continued. "She thinks you need a girlfriend."

I groaned self-consciously. That was what I'd been afraid of. I only hoped that Mamma had gotten the hint when I told her it was just a friendly dinner. "Sorry about that, Rose." My smile was more than a little rueful, and that only made my companion start laughing again.

"Not your fault, Jesse. Every grandmother I met while I was in Italy was a matchmaker. I think its encoded in their genes or something."

I relaxed a little as I took a drink of my Peroni, glad that Rose seemed to understand. I didn't have much time to think about it though as it rapidly became obvious that she was just as knowledgeable about her drink of choice as she was of Italian cuisine. I added that to my mental list. Not that the items on the list were giving me any answers. In fact, they were just raising more questions.

I couldn't figure Rose out. Every time I thought I might have a clue, something came out that negated what I thought I knew. Leaning back in my chair, I took a slow drink of the Peroni, glad enough that Rose seemed occupied with her own thoughts. She'd implied, when I extended the dinner invitation, that her finances weren't up to the expense of Cucina, yet she seemed to fit in just fine and even took the visit with Mamma in stride. Either she was able to adapt to circumstances very easily, or there was an awful lot I hadn't learned about her yet. Or both. The first course arrived and interrupted my musings. Probably just as well, or I would have spent the entire evening trying to solve the riddle that was Rose Briggs.

xxxxx

Rose had decided to enjoy the evening, even before Jesse arrived to pick her up. There was the possibility that she'd pay for it later, but if she was honest with herself, it was unlikely that anyone at work would find out that she'd met Jesse yet. She hadn't seen any sign that she was being watched so she was probably safe for now.

It was unlikely she'd get another chance to dine at Cucina della Nonna, so she might as well make the most of it and the opportunity to spend some time with Jesse. It might be her only chance on either front.

When Jesse arrived to pick her up, she got the impression he was determined to make sure she enjoyed herself, so Rose gave herself up to the evening and the mood. Meeting Mamma helped, as did the lack of questions from her dinner companion.

For a few minutes before the first course arrived, Jesse seemed distracted and she had the feeling he was thinking hard about something. He snapped out of it when the food arrived though and for the rest of the meal, what little conversation there was had to do with the quality and choice of food Mamma had chosen for them.

They both sat back as the last course was removed, only to chuckle as a single plate of teramisu with two forks was set in the center of the table along with an espresso for each of them. Mamma waited until they were almost finished before coming out to check on them. They spent a few minutes assuring her the dinner had been perfect and she made them both promise to return again soon before she let them leave. Rose had no idea how she was going to manage that, but she would try.

Leaving the restaurant reminded Rose that the evening was just an interlude. It was a pleasant dream but it wasn't real, not in the sense that it could continue past that night. They were both quiet on the drive back to her place, but it wasn't the comfortable quiet of the drive to Cucina. It was heavier, as if they both had a lot on their minds. Rose appreciated it, and hated it, at the same time.

xxxxx

I don't know what Rose was thinking on the drive home, but my mind returned to that list of things I knew, and didn't know about her. Neither one of us said much of anything until I pulled up to the curb and turned off the engine. I had come to the conclusion that she probably was a psionic, most likely an empath, though I still didn't have any proof.

The one definite thing I had noticed was that she seemed to be alone. I hadn't seen any evidence of friends, and she hadn't mentioned any either. That was something I could do something about, if she would accept it. As I reached across the car and opened the glove box, I caught her eye for a moment.

It took me a few seconds to fish a business card out and a few more to write my personal email address on the back of it, but Rose sat quietly.

"I enjoyed the evening, Rose. I'm in town pretty often on the weekends." I held the card out. "This is my email address if you want to stay in touch."

I held my breath until she took the card. I don't think she noticed as I exhaled when she took it. Rose was too busy studying the card. I watched as she tapped it against her seat a few times, obviously thinking.

"Let me give you mine." I could barely hear the words, but it was enough. I grabbed another card and gave it to her along with my pen. "That way you'll know it isn't spam if I email you."

I felt a minor sense of victory as she wrote something on the card and handed it and the pen back to me. I hadn't been sure she'd even take my address, much less give me hers. It gave me another point of information to track, and made it more likely that I could convince her to meet up with me again.

"Thank you so much, Jesse. I really enjoyed dinner." Rose smiled, but there was something wistful about it. "Good luck with your meetings, or whatever brings you to town."

Even as her expression registered, she was out of the car and halfway to her door. I sighed and started the engine, letting it idle. It was hard to believe how little I still knew about her given how much we'd talked. It wasn't until she was safely inside that I pulled away from the curb and headed back to the hotel.


	4. Puzzles and Pieces

Rose had watched at the window from behind the curtain until Jesse pulled away. Once the mustang's headlights had disappeared, she sank down on the sofa, trying to work things out for herself. It wasn't enough that she detested her employer, now she was going to be constantly fighting against herself. Today just made her life even more complicated that it already had been.

She knew exactly who and what Jesse Kilmartin was, which was far more than he knew about her. She knew all about Mutant X, and truth be told, her sympathies ran with them. Unfortunately, they didn't have the information and answers she needed. Everything she'd learned told her that what she was looking for was at Genomex, even if she hadn't found it in the almost two years she'd been working there. What she wanted and what she needed were two different things.

And that was why today was a problem. Jesse would cause problems for her at work, even if today was all there ever was between them. Oh, she could probably manage to explain away running into him at City North as the coincidence it actually was. But there was no way she could explain away dinner if her superiors found out about it. And they would, eventually. Rose had no doubt that Genomex had all of its employees observed at least intermittently when they weren't at work. If she did what she wanted to and kept in touch with Jesse, she was was just asking for trouble... and she doubted that trouble would be as simple as just losing her job.

Eventually Rose fell asleep on the couch, waking late the next morning. She was sore and no happier about the situation than she had been the night before. She was no closer to a solution that she could be happy with either. As she brewed a fresh pot of coffee, Rose resolved not to think about the problem at least for the day. She had enough to keep her busy for the day, and while ignoring a problem was usually a bad idea, stressing herself out over something she couldn't change wasn't going to make things any better.

* * *

I had to spend Sunday morning with the realtor, going through the tedious process of paperwork. I was making offers on both properties. They'd make decent safe-houses once we fixed them up a little. And that was what made the tedious paperwork necessary. The purchases couldn't be traceable back to Adam, Mutant X, or me or the point of purchasing them would be moot.

It seemed to take even longer than usual, though frequent glances at my watch told me otherwise. I knew why. I can't let a puzzle sit unsolved. I keep trying to find the answers, fit the pieces together. Even when they won't. And I had two puzzles in front of me now that that showed no signs of being solvable with the pieces I currently had.

Rose Briggs was one puzzle and I had a feeling that solving the mysteries she presented was more important than I knew. I liked her and I wanted to trust her, but I couldn't, at least not completely. I barely knew her and already too much didn't add up. And yet I'd gotten the impression that Rose wanted to give me some of those pieces, but something was preventing her from doing so. And that was yet another of those pieces that just didn't fit together. I hadn't seen any evidence that she had reason to hide anything from anyone, at least no more than anyone else did.

The puzzle Rose represented was a personal one. The other puzzle presented a more urgent need. So far they'd received two mysterious calls to the hotline warning of upcoming raids on safe-houses. The first had turned out to be accurate. The second I'd passed on to Adam yesterday morning. I had little doubt it would turn out to be accurate as well. At least I knew what questions to ask to find the answer to that puzzle. How was the GSA finding the safe-houses? Why was our mysterious informant warning us about the raids and how were they finding out about them? They had to be working for the GSA but if that were the case, they were putting themselves into a very dangerous position. If they were discovered, life in a stasis pod was the best they could hope for.

There were other puzzles. There always are. But those two puzzles were more than enough to keep my mind occupied not only through the meeting with the realtor but for the entire drive back to Sanctuary.

* * *

Rose got to work early Monday morning. She hadn't slept well and had woken early anyway. Maybe if she buried herself in her work, she could forget the weekend, and, just maybe, convince herself there would be no repercussions from it.

She'd been at it for about two hours when her terminal beeped and a blinking alert popped up on her screen. A shiver ran down her spine and she closed her eyes for a moment before responding to the alert. A click of her mouse acknowledged the message and she locked her computer. Several of her coworkers looked up as she left her desk, but apparently her expression was enough to forestall any questions.

Rose had been directed to report immediately, and she did, though her pace was slower than normal. She had been hoping it would take more than one day for her secret to be found out. The summons to this particular office told her that hope had been futile. So did the way she was ushered through the reception area without a pause. She barely had enough time for a deep breath before the door slid open and she found herself in front of her employer's desk.

"Ms. Briggs. You've been with us for what, almost two years now?" The speaker wasn't physically threatening. He was almost pasty pale, with dark glasses and unruly white hair. But he exuded a sense of menace, as well he should. Mason Eckhardt was responsible for not only Genomex, but the GSA as well.

Nothing could have prepared Rose for this meeting. It was unlikely anyone with her abilities could be prepared for the emotions Eckhardt projected. Rose did manage to meet his gaze briefly and she was relieved that her voice didn't waver as she answered. "Yes sir. It's been about that long."

"So you are aware of our policy concerning encounters with members of the mutant underground?" The sarcasm Rose felt from him and heard in his voice made her shiver though she thought she managed to hide it.

"I am, sir." She paused, trying to evaluate his mood before continuing. "If I may explain?"

"By all means, Ms. Briggs." Eckhardt was taking a malicious enjoyment from her discomfort and had no expectation that she could produce an acceptable excuse. "Do enlighten me as to why you did not report meeting Jesse Kilmartin as soon as you reported in to work this morning."

Rose inhaled and let it out slowly as she nodded. "Mr. Eckhardt, sir. I ran into Kilmartin literally by chance. I didn't know who he was initially. Once he introduced himself, I realized I could not let him know that I was employed here at Genomex."

She swallowed, trying to ease a dry throat while gauging the effect her explanation was having on her employer. "He seemed inclined to trust me, so I tried to encourage that trust as much as I could. I realize past efforts to gain the trust of members of Mutant X have been less than successful, but I managed to establish enough trust to get Kilmartin to give me a personal email contact. Even so, I wanted to make sure the contact was solid before I reported it."

Even though nothing she'd said would put Jesse or his friends in danger, Rose's stomach twisted as she gave even that little bit of information away. At least it seemed Eckhardt was buying her story as the malicious enjoyment morphed into something more anticipatory. Rose found herself wishing she was invisible as he studied her for several minutes without speaking.

"Very well, Ms. Briggs. I believe you." He paused, his gaze running from her face to her feet and back again. "For now. I will expect a written report on my desk by the end of the day. Please include your proposed next steps as I want you to gain more of Mr. Kilmartin's trust. Your goal is to get him to reveal the locations of their safe-houses, or better yet, Sanctuary itself. And keep me informed."

Rose was relieved when he nodded in dismissal and she left his office promptly. The trip back to her own station was considerably quicker than her trip to Eckhardt's office had been. When she got there, she collapsed into her chair, sighing at the close call and wondering just how she was going to manage to walk this new tightrope.

* * *

I spent Monday morning at my computer. After several hours, I found myself staring at three screens, more confused than I had been when I started my research. All the information I'd been able to find on one Rose Briggs was displayed on those screens. It was solid and went back several years, but something about it was nagging me and I couldn't figure out what.

I picked up my mug without looking, only to find it empty. Well, maybe it was time to get up and get a refill. A few minutes away from the data might give me a new perspective. Or at least I hoped it would.

Taking a sip from a fresh mug, I slid back into my reclining chair. Balancing the mug on the arm, I looked at the data as a whole rather than discrete pieces and suddenly I saw it. I had to make a quick grab for my mug as I bolted upright at the realization of what I was looking at. I hit a few keys even as I called out. "Adam, I've got something weird here."

Adam knew I'd been doing some heavy research, and he didn't ask any questions. He left the computer he'd been working at and joined me at my station, making a quick survey of what was on my screens. Adam's a genius and he put two and two together within seconds. "Is this the woman from this weekend, Jess?"

I nodded, looking at the data on the screens. Now that I'd seen it, I was surprised I hadn't recognized what I was looking at sooner. "Mm hmm. Something's been bugging me since I met her. I'm fairly certain she's a psionic - probably an empath but I can't confirm it. She feels like Emma if that makes any sense, but she's not in any of our databases. There are some other things that just don't add up and it was bothering me all weekend, so I started running some searches when I got back and this is what I found."

"Looks pretty solid to me, Jess." I could tell by his voice, that Adam wasn't sure where I was going with this, but he was willing to follow along for the moment.

"It's a little too solid, Adam." I clicked a few more keys to open a new window as I turned my head to look at my mentor with a grim smile. "Especially when you take this into account."

I watched Adam's face as he scanned the new window and compared to the information already on the screen. I already knew what he was seeing. As a matter of necessity, we create new identities for new mutants entering the underground. The window I'd opened contained our guidelines for creating those identities. And the data I'd gotten on Rose matched our guidelines almost exactly. Oh a couple of the document dates were off by a year or two, but her identity, as much of it as I'd found, could have been one of ours.

I watched as Adam thought for a minute, his eyes intent on the screens. "Definitely odd, Jess. Good catch." He tapped steepled fingers against his chin. "If she was one of ours, we'd have a record of both the old and new identities. Dig into any information you can get on her within the past two years. I'm going to do some checking on my own."

"I wouldn't have caught it, if I hadn't made up that batch of IDs last week." I swung around to look at him. "Adam, how the hell did whoever created this come so close to our methods? And why would Rose be living under a fake identity?"

"Not a clue, Jess, but I have a feeling we'd better find the answers to both those questions soon." Adam straightened up and headed for his office, no doubt to start checking with his own sources.

I could only agree as I sat back and looked at the screens again.

xxxxx

The email address Rose gave me yielded a little bit more information. She was actually pretty good at the web design work she'd mentioned, though from what I could see, it was just a side business that provided enough money for a little bit of fun once in awhile. And I got a partial answer to one of my questions. Whether or not she was a new mutant, she definitely knew about us. The email address was attached to a log-in on the Proxy Blue site - and it wasn't on the public side of the site. So she definitely knew about new mutants and the underground.

If she was a new mutant, that might account for the assumed identity, but there was still the question of who had created that identity and how they'd come so close to our own methods. She wasn't one of ours or we'd have a record of it. And in any case, that reasoning somehow didn't feel right. Rose had hinted to me at what I suspected was empathy, so I couldn't see her living under an assumed identity to hide it. I could be wrong, but I didn't think I was.

The one piece of information I couldn't seem to find was where she worked. There were regular deposits into her checking account, but they were in cash. Rose had said she worked for scientific research firm, but that didn't narrow things down that much and I couldn't just go hacking into the employee databases of all of them. I could find her W-2, but that would involve hacking into the Internal Revenue Service, and I really didn't want to do that if I didn't have to. I didn't think I'd quite gotten to that point yet - not while the need for the information was mostly curiosity.

It seemed the only way I was going to get any answers to my questions was from Rose herself. And that meant that I probably wasn't going to get them any time soon. Though I was fairly certain she'd felt that same shock of recognition I had, I didn't know that for certain. And as uncomfortable as Rose had been about anything personal, I wasn't going to be able to just come out and ask without taking the risk of driving her away. It was becoming obvious that, for whatever reason, she was hiding something.

My other puzzle - the mysterious raid warnings - was only a little less frustrating. The second raid happened just as we'd been warned it would. We'd had plenty of time to get everyone out and relocated to other safe-houses. We'd even been able to watch the GSA make the raid. They were quite disappointed with the results. But I was still no closer to identifying the source of the warnings.

I couldn't spend all my time trying to solve my personal puzzles. We had new mutants to help and GS plots to foil. It was what we did, after all. Adam had holed himself up in his office and it wasn't until Thursday morning that I caught up to him in the hall. "Adam, have you figured out who might be using our ID system yet?"

Adam paused and shook his head. "Not yet, Jess. And I have to admit I'm stumped at the moment. I haven't been able to locate any information on our mysterious Rose in any of the databases I have access to either."

I sighed and rubbed the back of my neck. I had really been hoping my mentor had had better luck than I had. "Well, she has an account on our side of Proxy, so she's either one of us, or she knows an awful lot about us. I haven't gotten into the account itself yet, so I can't tell you which."

Adam flashed me a smile and patted my shoulder. "Good job, Jess. Its something at least." He stopped and thought for a moment. "You're headed back into town for the weekend, right?"

"Yeah." I nodded. "There are some more places to look at and some financial wrangling to finish up."

"All right, then. Get in touch with her. She's obviously hiding from someone or something. If you can gain her trust, we might be able to help. But be careful, Jess." Adam turned to look me in the eyes, laying a hand on my shoulder. His brown eyes were serious and concerned. "Whatever she's running from may well be a danger to us as well."

That thought had already occurred to me, so my only response was a nod. Adam studied me for a moment before nodding himself and going back to his office. I went back to my computer to send Rose an email. City North Coffee should be a safe enough place to meet and if she agreed, we could head to Cucina for lunch.

* * *

Thursday night, and Rose collapsed on her sofa after work with a sigh. So far she'd made it though the week without any more interviews with Mr. Eckhardt. That didn't mean she'd been sleeping well, but at least the week had been fairly normal. She might even feel like eating something tonight.

After a few minutes, she stretched and pulled her laptop over. Might as well check to see if she had any new web design work for the weekend. The machine booted up and she opened her email client. A quick scan had her marking most of the new emails as spam. Based on the subject line, two might be potential work. She'd look at those after she finished going through the rest of her in-box.

There was only one piece of mail she couldn't figure out. The email address seemed familiar and after a little thought, she realized it was the one Jesse had given her. Rose felt her heart do a flip flop before the fear set in. She let the cursor hover over the email, her emotions a confusing mess before she finally double clicked to open it. She was going to have to resolve the conflict between what she wanted and what she needed soon, before it ended up tearing her, and any future she had, to pieces.

The contents of the email were innocuous enough. Jesse offered to meet her at City North and take her out to lunch on Saturday. Since her employer actually wanted her to strengthen whatever trust she'd established with Jesse, she fired off an reply, agreeing. She made a mental note to report it to Mr. Eckhardt when she got into work in the morning. Rose was hoping he'd pull any teams he had watching for Jesse and let her do what he'd told her do. Never mind that she'd never actually give him any information that would put Jesse or the rest of his team in any danger - her boss didn't know that.


	5. Changes

She'd barely gotten any sleep the night before, but Rose still managed to get to City North a few minutes early. She bypassed the counter and found a seat where she could see the door. There weren't any GS agents that she could find and she took that as a good sign. She did notice a couple of corporate types poke their heads in the door, but apparently the place wasn't to their liking, since they didn't bother to actually enter.

She didn't have to wait long, though her thoughts were elsewhere when Jesse slid into the seat across from her. She blinked and gave him a small smile, hoping he wouldn't notice the circles under her eyes. Concealer and makeup did a lot to hide them, but nothing was perfect. "Hey, Jesse. Hope your week has been more interesting than mine. I could have sleep walked through it."

Her control over her abilities wasn't as good as she wanted it to be. Even though she tried not to read Jesse, she couldn't help but pick up at least a little from him. He wasn't distracted today, and he was curious. Rose sighed mentally. Both of those things meant he was paying more attention than he had been when they'd bet last weekend.

She'd known that, under the circumstances, having lunch with Jesse was going to be at least a little stressful for her. Just knowing she was going to have to provide Mr. Eckhart with a highly edited report guaranteed that much. But Rose hadn't counted on dealing with a tenacious and curious lunch companion. She should have, Rose knew that, once she thought about last weekend. But she hadn't and she felt her stomach twist just a little bit.

"Maybe you should have. You look tired." There was a hint of humor in her companion's voice, along with more than a hint of concern.

She waved off his concern with a slight shake of her head. "Nah. I'm tired because I lost track of time last night, Jesse. I was coding a new web site." She met his gaze for a second and flashed a wry smile. "You know how it is. You just want to get that one last bug fixed before you quit."

It was obvious that he didn't quite buy the excuse, but Rose was relieved when he let the subject drop and nodded toward the door, one brow raised in question, instead. A quick glance around told her no GS agents had appeared in the last five minutes. Maybe, just maybe, Mr. Eckhart was going to rely solely on her reports. She hoped so - it would remove just the tiniest bit of the stress she was under.

As they stepped outside and headed for his car, Rose found herself scanning her surroundings for possible threats. It was an old habit she thought she'd forgotten over the past few years and she found herself wishing she had. Then again, several old habits had resurfaced over the past week and she couldn't really claim it was a surprise under the circumstances. Nevertheless, Rose continued her scan until they reached his car, feeling a bit foolish when they got there without anything happening.

xxxxx

I was running a few minutes late as I stepped into City North. I think I expected Rose to be watching for me, but I saw her before she saw me. I don't know what she was thinking about, but it held her attention until I slid into the chair across from her.

After a moment, she blinked, gave me a weak smile and said something about sleepwalking through her week. I wasn't buying it though. She'd definitely gone to some trouble to try to hide the circles under her eyes, but I live with two women. I could certainly identify with the reasoning she gave me. I've been known to pull an all-nighter when doing research or trying to hack into a system. But something didn't feel right.

Maybe it was the way she started doing an unconscious threat assessment the minute we walked out the door. I recognized it, because I was doing the same thing, though I knew what what I was looking for and I wasn't sure she did. The fact that Rose was doing it put me on edge a bit, especially since there had been a surprising lack of GS agents around so far this weekend.

Adam and I had assumed Rose was hiding or running from something or someone, and now I had another piece of evidence to support that theory besides the false identity. It still wasn't making sense though. I still hadn't been able to find any indication of who or what Rose would need to hide from. It wouldn't have been obvious to most people, but there was no doubt in my mind that my lunch partner was on edge, whatever the reason, though she was hiding it well.

Once we were seated at a table inside Cucina della Nonna, Rose finally relaxed a fraction and stopped scanning the surroundings for trouble. The fact that the doors were all visible from the table might have had something to do with that. She didn't relax much though. I could tell she was still uncomfortable because she was barely looking at me.

Adam thought we needed to find out why Rose was hiding under a fake identity and soon. Watching her now, I couldn't help but agree. Something had changed from last week. She'd been uncomfortable at times then, but she hadn't been actively on the lookout for potential trouble. The problem was that I had no way of knowing what kind of trouble she was on the lookout for. The only thing I could do was to keep a weather eye out and try to make Rose a little more comfortable.

Cucina's lunch menu isn't long, but Rose was still studying it, or she appeared to be. I looked a little closer and saw she wasn't focused on the menu at all. She had the distant look of someone whose thoughts were miles away. I sighed, slowly and carefully, slipping the menu from her hand. That finally got her attention, and she looked directly at me with a slight frown.

"Your mind is somewhere else, Rose. I know the menu by heart. Let me order for both of us." I felt a measure of relief as she nodded. Motioning the waiter over, I placed the order quickly and turned my attention back to Rose. She glanced down at the table as I did and when she looked at me again, the light green eyes were apologetic. "I'm sorry, Jesse. I'm scatterbrained today. I'm not sure why."

I caught a flash of something in her eyes before she broke the gaze. It looked an awful lot like guilt, which tallied perfectly with the feeling I was getting. She might not know exactly what was making her uncomfortable, but she knew more than she was telling me.

There were questions I wanted to ask, but I kept the conversation on inconsequential topics. Rose was starting to trust me at least a little and the questions I had would hurt that trust, so they'd just have to wait for now. I did ask about her time in Italy - I figured that was pretty safe since she'd brought it up last weekend. I learned that she'd been there working as a consultant but not anything about who she'd been working for. Still, it was something.

The whole time, Rose had been pushing food around her plate. Oh, she did eat a little, but not nearly enough as far as I was concerned. I had the feeling that sleeping wasn't the only thing she wasn't doing much of. And she was clearly distracted. I couldn't help but remember the way she'd scanned her surroundings all the way here.

The only thing that was obvious about Rose was that she was alone and used to being that way. She wasn't used to trusting or relying on other people. I thought it was sad that she didn't know what it was like to have someone to back her up or to lean on. That might be the reason she wasn't spilling her secrets even though she gave every indication of trusting me, at least a little. I watched her for a minute, wishing she would just open up and talk to me.

"What?" Rose blinked and looked at me quizzically.

"I didn't say anything, Rose."

"I thought... " she frowned and shook her head slightly. "Never mind. I must be hearing things."

At that point, I figured we'd both had enough and I motioned the waiter over, charging the bill to my account. What little relaxation Rose had managed to find while we were eating disappeared as soon as we walked out the door. I swear the woman was putting me more on edge than if the GSA was on my tail. I couldn't tell if I was reacting to her fear or if my instincts were twinging too.

We'd almost reached the car, both of us doing that automatic scanning, when Rose dropped her bag. Maybe it slipped off her shoulder, maybe she dropped it on purpose, I don't know. I do know that her attention, as she bent down to pick it up was on something across the street. I helped her up, using the opportunity to take a look myself. Two corporate types sat in a sedan across the street, watching the front door of the restaurant.

I kept an eye on the sedan as I crossed to the driver's side and slid behind the wheel. They didn't appear to be paying any attention to us. I hoped I was just being paranoid, but we'd find out in just a minute or two.

I pulled out of the parking lot and sighed in relief as the sedan remained parked. It seemed whatever, or whoever, those men were looking for, it wasn't us. Rose however didn't relax for several miles.

I barely knew her and she was definitely hiding things from me, but it hurt to see how alone she thought she was. I had to wonder why she felt that way. She was a nice enough person, and from what I'd seen, she shouldn't have any trouble making friends. There had to be a reason she was isolating herself and that she was hiding. Were they the same reasons? I wondered how I could help her. If nothing else, it seemed that she needed someone to watch her back, someone she could trust.

As I pulled up to the curb in front of her house, I was tempted to give her my cell number. The only problem was that I was afraid it would scare her off, and I was also pretty certain she wouldn't be offering her's in return. I settled for getting her attention.

"Rose," I made sure she was looking at me, "You know you can trust me, right? If you need help, you can ask me."

_**I can't.**_

I frowned slightly, ready to ask why when I realized Rose hadn't said anything. She was biting her bottom lip and again, I saw that flicker of fear in her eyes. She nodded when she saw me watching her and then mumbled a quiet thank you. Before I could react, she had slipped out of the car and was halfway to her door.

Damn if the woman wasn't going to drive me to drink out of either frustration or unsatisfied curiosity.

xxxxx

Rose slipped through the front door, closing and locking it behind her. She made it as far as the couch before shaking legs forced her to sit down. This double life was getting to be too much. It was making her paranoid. Not that she'd spotted any GS agents, but for a few minutes outside the restaurant she'd thought she'd felt someone watching them.

Not that she had any clue who else would have a reason to follow her. Jesse, maybe. Mutant X had pissed off people other than the GSA.

She'd almost told Jesse too much, or at least she'd been tempted to. So, in an effort not to, she'd said almost nothing, and Jesse had noticed. Rose sighed softly. The molecular was far too observant and persistent.

Rose had found herself needing to get away from him when he told her she could ask him for help. She'd been way too tempted to tell him - what she was, that she knew who and what he was, and worst of all, who she worked for. And that would have been the end of it. If Jesse found out she worked for Genomex, he'd never speak to her again.. That would be bad enough, but she'd lose her usefulness to Mr. Eckhart and possibly her job, or worse, as well. There had to be a way for her to pull this off, but right now Rose wasn't having any luck in figuring out what it was.

* * *

Monday morning found Rose dragging herself into work despite a lack of sleep and a solid case of nausea that had her skipping her morning coffee. Before she even looked at anything else, she submitted her report on her meeting with Jesse and hoped it wouldn't result in a trip to her employer's office. It really wasn't worth hoping for, considering she had reported that Jesse had offered help if she needed it. Still, she could hope and the hope got stronger as the morning passed.

At lunch, Rose went out to her car. After making a phone call, she spent the rest of her lunch hour trying to nap. It didn't help a lot, but she felt a little better as she returned to her desk. At least, she did until she unlocked her station and saw the flashing message.

A soft groan escaped her lips and one or two of her fellow researchers looked at her. She shook her head slightly, pasting a wry smile on her lips. "It seems Mr. Eckhart has taken an interest in one of my research projects."

That garnered a combination of jealous and sympathetic looks. Rose re-locked her station and smiled to those who's looks had been sympathetic. Her stomach was awash in acid as she made her way to Mr. Eckhart's office. By the time she got there, she'd managed to raise a mental wall that should keep his emotions out and her's in. It was going to leave her with a killer headache, but it was better than the alternative.

She paused outside the door and took a deep breath, giving herself enough time to ensure her expression and thoughts were in order. A short nod to the security guards had the door sliding open and she stepped into the office. "Mr. Eckhart."

"Ms. Briggs." He turned from the observation window. "I have to admit to being pleasantly surprised by both your report and your punctuality."

"Thank you, sir. I do try to do my best at my job." Rose offered just the barest hint of a smile, fighting the nauseous storm in her stomach.

"I only wish our other agents were as understanding of their duties as you appear to be, Ms. Briggs."

Rose's gaze rose to meet his as the words registered. She couldn't help the measure of surprise that colored her expression. That was probably for the best though, she thought as her employer continued.

"Yes, Ms. Briggs. I did say 'other agents'. I have come to the conclusion that you are wasted in the technical research division. As of today, you are to consider yourself an agent trainee."

Rose's mind blanked in shock. She didn't know what to think, or how this was going to affect the reason she'd come to Genomex in the first place. And Mr. Eckhart was watching her expectantly. Rose swallowed and cleared her throat, trying to kick her brain in to motion. "Thank you, Mr. Eckhart, sir. I..." She paused for a second, "I was only doing my job as I understand it, sir. I never expected this."

He flashed a cold smile, "Well, we must reward success just as we punish failure. You've not only succeeded where many experienced agents have failed, you've shown initiative and good sense as well."

The man in charge of Genomex and the GSA glanced over her shoulder as the door behind her slid open. "Mr. Thorne will get you settled in your new station and duties."

A feeling of dizziness passed over her and Rose closed her eyes as she swayed for a second. As she opened her eyes again, she felt Thorne's hand on her shoulder and caught a faint frown cross Mason Eckhart's face. "Are you feeling quite well, Ms. Briggs? You seem a bit pale."

Irony that, coming from him. Rose tried to clear her throat and it came out as a cough. That gave her an idea and she ran with it. "Actually sir, I am feeling a bit under the weather, but I knew you would be expecting my report this morning."

"Commendable, Ms. Briggs, but you can hardly do your job well if you are ill."

He had backed up to the glass window overlooking the stasis generator. Now he looked at Thorne. "Mr. Thorne, see that Ms. Briggs gets settled and then reschedule her training to begin on Thursday."

Rose felt Thorne's hand tighten on her shoulder, but his only response was a calm "Yes, sir," before Mr. Eckhart turned his attention back to her.

"Its important that you be healthy and attentive during your training. After you get settled, take the rest of today and the next two days off to ensure that you are."

"Yes, sir. Thank you for the opportunity, Mr. Eckhart." The slight pressure on her shoulder was enough to let her know the interview was over and she turned and left the office with Thorne right behind her.

Once they were outside the office, he gestured for her to follow him and led her though several corridors before stopping in front of a door with a card reader. "Your new badge will be ready when you come back. Make sure to pick it up from security when you return. Until then, either security or I will have to let you into this section."

He swiped his badge and the door opened with a click. Thorne ushered her through and then took the lead again. Finally they reached an almost empty room and he showed her to a cubicle near the back. Unlike her current work station, this one had six foot walls that gave the impression of privacy.

"This will be your new work station. I suggest you return to your old station, pack up your things and follow the instructions that have been emailed to you. I will meet you back at the secure door in 45 minutes."

There was an empty box on the desk and he handed it to her with a look that sent her on her way with a definite sense of urgency.


	6. Complications

Once again, I found myself unable to pay full attention to the business that brought me to the city for the weekend. And the reason was the same. I was beginning to wonder if there were any answers to be had about Rose. I spent the rest of Saturday and most of the drive back to Sanctuary trying to fit the pieces I had together, but they just didn't make up a whole.

Adam was out when I got back, so I wasn't able to fill him in until Monday morning. He was as stumped, and almost as frustrated, as I was. We had to put the mystery that Rose represented on the back burner when another anonymous raid warning came in around noon. It gave us almost two days to evacuate the safe-house, but reinforced the question of how the GSA was finding our safe-houses in the first place.

That little mystery kept me busy for awhile, as did making up a batch of new identities for the new mutants we'd had to evacuate from the safe-house. It didn't keep my mind occupied enough to keep it off Rose, or those two corporate types in the sedan outside of Cucina della Nonna.

One of the things I've learned over the years is that coincidence is far rarer than it seems. What appears to be coincidence often isn't - you just don't have all the pieces to see the connections at the time. So even though those two observers hadn't appeared to take any notice of us, I had to wonder at both the timing and Rose's behavior before and after we saw them.

I might have let it go as coincidence, but when I sat down with Adam and finally got to really talk with him about the situation, he agreed with me. My mentor was certain there was a bigger picture that we just weren't seeing yet. We were both feeling a sense of urgency to figure it out as well.

Usually things move pretty quickly around Sanctuary and the underground. Solving a problem, finding an answer, rarely takes more than a few days and when we have to take action, its usually an immediate thing. Now, though, we had two issues, both of them going on a couple of weeks, and we were no closer to solving either one.

I'd done all I could on the safe-house raids and I turned my attention to Rose. Maybe her activity on the Proxy Blue site would give me some clues. Proxy's got pretty good cyber-security, especially on the private side of the site. While I enjoy a challenge, I didn't really want to go up against that security if I didn't have to. I started out with a glance at Rose's public profile. It wasn't much help except for the 'member since' date. Next up was a search of the forums for posts or comments she'd made. And that's where I found some more pieces that didn't seem to fit the puzzle, at least not at first glance. I shouldn't have been surprised. After all, every time I got an answer about Rose, it seemed to raise at least one, and usually several more, questions. Maybe I was just really hoping for some straightforward answers.

There wasn't a lot of activity under her account, but she wasn't a lurker either. The few posts she'd written all seemed to be about the same subject matter. She suggested and argued that the type or source of a mutation was less important than the fact the mutation existed. She suggested that genetic manipulation shouldn't be the sole deciding factor of whether or not someone with a mutation would be aided by the underground, and that anyone with a mutation should be able to get help. I couldn't disagree with her.

Yes, our DNA had been manipulated by Genomex or other programs without our knowledge or permission. We hadn't had any choice in the matter. But did someone exposed to radiation or chemicals have any choice when their genes started to mutate? And what about evolutionary mutations?

I bolted upright as the thought hit me, letting myself relax back into the reclining chair as I worked through it. Evolutionary mutations - Adam tended to refer to them as "natural" mutations because that's how they happened - as a part of the natural process of evolution. But someone with a "natural" mutation wouldn't be in any of our databases - there wouldn't be any records of them unless they identified themselves.

Was that what Rose was? A "natural" mutation? It would explain her reluctance to expose her abilities. Based on some of the responses to her posts, it would explain at least part of why she kept herself apart from other people too. The general consensus seemed to be that having your genes manipulated by someone else was worth help while other sources of mutation weren't. Never mind that none of us had a choice in being a mutant. Adam concentrated on the children of Genomex because he felt responsible for them, but I knew he'd never refuse to help someone with a mutation just because their mutation had a different source.

Thursday morning, I got the chance to show Adam what I'd found and lay out my theory for him. It wasn't much, but it was a piece of the puzzle that fit and might lead to other pieces fitting as well. An evolutionary mutation might just account for the false identity and the automatic, unconscious threat assessment Rose had exhibited. And Adam's concern didn't diminish with the idea that Rose might be a "natural" mutation. If anything, it increased. The number of people who might be interested in her genetic structure had just skyrocketed.

Of course Adam's interest wasn't purely altruistic. If Rose did have a natural mutation, it should be stable, unlike ours. Gaining her trust and helping her might just help him find a way to stabilize our DNA. Because of that, if nothing else, it was worth the effort to get Rose to trust us, no matter how long it took.

The question was - Could I convince her to meet with me again?

* * *

Rose reported to security first thing Thursday morning. Two days away from Genomex should have been restful. Anticipating the changes in her job status made it less so than she'd hoped. Still, she'd had a chance to work on shielding herself better from other people's emotions. And two days of not having to deal with other people's emotions had helped as well. So overall, she was in considerably better shape than she had been on Monday.

Security traded her old badge for a new one and Rose managed to find her way to her new station without too much trouble. There was no sign of Thorne as she logged in, but he had left her fairly clear instructions via email. Memos to read, videos to watch - more information than she'd ever wanted about how the GSA really worked.

The cubicle took some getting used to. She had spent the last two years surrounded by co-workers. Researchers did tend to be quiet, but there was always the background sounds of keys clicking and quiet murmurs and exclamations as information petered out or lead to a new connection. Her cubicle blocked almost all of that level of noise. Even though a few of the other cubicles in the room had occupants, Rose could have been alone based on the what she was able to hear.

That's why Rose assumed her ears were playing tricks on her when she thought she heard bits and pieces of conversation that day and the next.

* * *

Juliana Nolan was annoyed. Not that the men standing in front of her desk would see that. To them she looked perfectly calm. On the other hand, they knew that people didn't get called to Juliana's office unless there was a problem. Since they'd been assigned to locate a missing subject that was still missing, the men knew it wasn't going to be a pleasant meeting.

Project 215 was still behind, all because her people still couldn't locate one single subject. Given the subject, she probably shouldn't be terribly surprised, if she was being honest with herself. So, before she punished them for failing, she'd give them one more chance - and a little help.

"Gentlemen, Project 215 can not be allowed to continue falling behind. I expect you to redouble your efforts to find our missing subject. To help you, I'm releasing the product of one of our other projects to you. Please go down to Research and retrieve him."

Juliana's eyes were dark and thoughtful as the men filed out of her office. If they couldn't locate the missing subject with the help of the "sniffer" she was releasing to them, they deserved to become project subjects themselves.

* * *

I emailed Rose Friday morning, suggesting a late afternoon meeting at City North on Saturday. I knew it would be evening at the earliest before I heard back, so I used security checks and patches to occupy my mind for most of the day.

The drive into the city left me more time for thinking than I really wanted. That meant I wasn't in a particularly good mood when I got to the Four Seasons. Most people's mood would improve upon checking in at a five star hotel. Mine did the opposite. Like the designer suits and ties, the hotel reminded me entirely too much of things better left forgotten. Unfortunately, this was one of those weekends when the financial dealings required the right image to ensure they succeeded.

One late dinner and one breakfast meeting stood between me and possibly getting some answers, or at least clues. Provided, of course, that Rose agreed to the meeting and actually showed up. It was going to be a long twenty or so hours.

* * *

Even after she'd answered Jesse's email, Rose had debated whether or not to meet him. She was still debating with herself when she arrived at City North to find it almost overflowing with college students. Good thing she'd arrived early, even if her intent had been to see if any GS agents, or anyone else, was keeping an eye on her.

After ordering her coffee, Rose slipped into a seat just as a table was vacated. Despite not seeing anything out of the ordinary, she had the uncomfortable sense that someone was watching her. After a moments thought, she pulled her auburn hair back into a messy ponytail and set her laptop on the table, looking for all the world like another college student. She'd have to pay attention and watch for Jesse to arrive or he might not see her in the crowd, but that would let her keep an eye out for other things as well.

xxxxx

I had to park at the back of City North's lot, so I wasn't surprised by how crowded it was inside when I walked through the door. A quick but thorough scan of the interior told me two things. First, most of the customers were college students. Exam week was probably coming up, something neither Rose nor I had taken into account. Second, and this was the one that disturbed me a bit, Rose didn't appear to be there.

I checked my watch as I crossed to the counter. I was few minutes late, but maybe she was running late as well. After placing my order, I turned and scanned the place again. This time I caught motion from a back corner. A second look showed me Rose, waving to get my attention. I raised a hand to let her know I'd seen her.

Just then my order was called. As I collected it, I was thinking hard. I knew I'd scanned that section of the shop when I first came in, and I hadn't seen Rose. I wove my way through the tables to join her, noting the computer on the table in front of her as I did. She hadn't just slipped into the seat while my back had been turned, she'd been here awhile. So why hadn't I seen her? Or had I just not recognized her for some reason?

I smiled as I took the seat across from her. "Glad you made it. I wasn't so sure you would."

Rose shrugged slightly, acknowledging the comment. "I wasn't sure I would either, but I enjoyed your company and I rarely have anything to do on the weekends."

She offered a wan smile and took a sip of her coffee, absently massaging her temple. I took a closer look and despite the makeup, I could tell she was a little pale and there were carefully hidden circles under her eyes. I couldn't stop a slight frown and I had to ask. "Are you okay, Rose?"

Faint surprise colored her expression as she looked at me and nodded. "Yeah, its just a bit louder in here than usual today."

I was pretty certain it was more than that, but I only nodded. "Yeah, I noticed. I'm guessing exams are coming up."

"Most likely," Rose's glance flicked momentarily to a nearby table where a conversation was starting to heat up a bit before she shut off her laptop and slipped it into her bag. "I haven't been keeping track." She shrugged again and asked about how my week had gone.

That glance at the other table only reinforced my belief that Rose was psionic. I was guessing she was picking up on the rising tempers. I wanted to confront her about it, especially since I was pretty sure she hadn't had a good week. The time wasn't right though and I didn't want to drive her away so I just echoed her shrug. "Same old thing, not much to talk about. I did look at some of your websites though. You could probably get a lot more of that kind of work if you want to."

"Its a nice break from the day job, but I think I'd go stir crazy if I tried to do it full time. " Rose seemed distracted and I watched as her eyes narrowed and she rubbed her neck. After a second, she looked back at me.

Raised voices from the other table got my attention for a moment and I thought it was about time for us to be leaving. I looked back to Rose and that thought was confirmed. She had her hands pressed to her temples and there unshed tears in her eyes.

xxxxx

Rose tried to keep her attention on Jesse, but it was getting harder. The anger from the table next to them was an almost physical thing to her. She could barely concentrate on what Jesse was saying. The noise of all the conversations around them seemed to be getting louder with each second. Part of her mind told her nothing had changed and there was no reason for the background conversations to become so loud, but it was hard to listen to that part when it seemed like everyone was shouting directly at her. It was more than enough to spark a migraine without any warning.


	7. Answers and More Questions

"Rose?" I tried to get her attention without startling her. The gaze she turned to me was slightly unfocused and full of pain. I thought I knew what was happening, but I wasn't completely sure. "I'm going to get you out of here, okay?"

She nodded slightly before closing her eyes. I got up and moved to her side of the table, grabbing her bag from the back of her chair and slipping it over my shoulder. I was about to help Rose up when her head jerked up and her eyes opened. It took a second for me to realize that her gaze was little more than a terror-blinded stare and I glanced in the same direction.

The door of City North was just swinging shut behind three newcomers. They were all dressed the same. Corporate types, from the looks of them, but there was definitely something odd about them. Two of them were acting more like Secret Service or private security of some kind. The third... well, he reminded me of a puppy on the scent trail of something. The multitude of people in City North seemed to be making things difficult for him. I had a very bad feeling about those three, and with Rose's reaction to their arrival, I didn't think it was just paranoia.

Slipping an arm around Rose's waist, I helped her to her feet. We edged around the argumentative table just as one of the students stood up fast enough that his chair went flying. Looked like the disagreement was about to turn physical and I wasn't above using that as a distraction. Hopefully it would cover our departure.

As we wove our way between tables, I felt Rose trembling. She had turned her head into my shoulder and I could tell that staying on her feet was about all she was capable of right then. I was keeping half an eye on the corporate types, more than happy to see them move further away from the door. That gave us an opening and we slipped outside. I moved to one side of the door and paused to think.

Rose seemed to lean on me a little less once we were outside, but her eyes were still closed and she didn't really seem to be tracking. I wanted to let her rest while I went for the car, but something told me those three corporate types were trouble. I murmured some quiet words of encouragement, making sure I had a good hold on her, and set off across the parking lot.

By the time we reached the car, Rose was stumbling. I got her settled in the passenger seat and scanned the parking lot as I made my way around the car. I debated taking her home. I knew what was happening to her now. I'd seen empathic overload before. The problem was I didn't know if she knew what was happening. That made the decision for me. As I pulled out of the parking lot, I headed for the Four Seasons.

I kept an eye on the rear view mirror for awhile, just to make sure we weren't being followed. I had relaxed somewhat before Rose figured out I wasn't taking her home. That alone told me just how overloaded her ability was. Eventually, she lifted her head and looked at me with somewhat glassy eyes. Her voice was flat and devoid of any feeling, but I'd expected that after working with Emma. "Where are we going?"

If there was a measure of suspicion in the question, I was willing to let it slide. "You're an empath, Rose, and your ability is overloading. We're going to my hotel for now, until I can make sure you're okay."

I held my breath waiting for a protest, but either Rose really did trust me, or she was hurting even more than I thought. Her only reaction to my statement was to close her eyes and lean her head against the window. I kept an eye on her as I drove, relieved when she dropped into a doze as we got further away from City North.

I gave her shoulder a careful shake as I pulled into the Four Seasons drive, hoping to pull her out of the doze without startling her. It wasn't until I was tossing the keys to the valet that I realized I didn't have any story for Rose's presence or condition. Apparently she had considered it, because though she stumbled as I helped her out of the car, she did a credible imitation of a young socialite who'd overindulged. She almost fell into my arms with a sultry pout.

"I don't know why Uncle Pete sent you after me, Jess. I was just having a little fun!" The whine in her voice was the perfect touch. I caught the eye of one of the valets and rolled my eyes, running with the story she had started. He just grinned.

"Yeah, you were having a little too much fun, cuz. Uncle Pete didn't want to have to bail you out again." I had a little trouble sounding annoyed, since I was far more worried than anything else, but the few witnesses to our little performance seemed to buy it.

Rose made it to the elevator with only a little help from me, complaining the whole time about our fictional Uncle Pete and not being allowed to have any fun. Once the elevator doors closed, she sagged against me and I realized the only thing keeping her on her feet was my arm around her waist. She didn't react when I swung her up into my arms and I wasn't sure if she was even coherent anymore. The concentration she'd had to muster to pull off that little act was above and beyond what she should have been capable of.

I got to the door of my suite before I realized the key was still in my pocket. A quick glance showed me that Rose was barely conscious, so I took a risk and phased through the door, hoping she wouldn't realize what I'd done. I laid her on the bed and headed for the wet bar. I didn't even look, just grabbed the first bottle and poured three fingers worth into a glass. A moment later, I was sitting on the bed next to Rose, one hand on her shoulder, hoping I could wake her up a little.

"Jess?" Her voice was barely audible, her eyes mere slits, but at least she wasn't out cold.

"It's okay, Rose. Can you sit up for a minute?" I slipped a hand beneath her shoulder and helped her. Handing her the glass, I kept one hand on hers, just to make sure she didn't spill it. "Here, drink this. It's probably not what you'd chose, but it'll take the edge off."

The amber liquid sloshed in the glass as she raised it to her lips. From the way she slugged it down in one swallow, I guessed this wasn't the first time this had happened... or at least I hoped that was the case. After a moment, I took the glass and set it on the nightstand. "A little better?"

Rose had dropped her head to her hands but her affirmation was still audible. I could feel her trembling, but she seemed steady enough now. I left her sitting on the edge of the bed for a minute while I prepped the step. A pair of my drawstring sweatpants and a t-shirt were set on the bathroom counter and I started the water running in the bath before I returned to Rose. "Next part of the prescription is a hot shower, if you think you can manage it, Rose. And after that, some rest. Then I'll take you home."

My companion lifted her head and bleary eyes focused on me for a long moment before she nodded slowly. I slipped an arm around her waist and helped her to the bathroom. After making sure she was steady leaning against the counter, I checked the water temperature and pulled the shower knob. Before I left the bathroom, I studied Rose, hoping her evaluation of her current strength was accurate.

Closing the door behind me, I wandered around the room, just letting my mind process the afternoon. I was going to make sure Rose got at least a couple hours of sleep before I took her home and I was wondering if there was anything else I should do. About that time my stomach growled and I nodded to myself. I didn't know if she'd eaten today, but I did remember how little she'd eaten at lunch last week. Placing an order with room service only took a couple of minutes.

I let myself collapse into a chair before I triggered my comlink. "Adam?"

"Hey, Jess. It's Shal. Adam's locked in his office with orders not to be disturbed unless its important." The voice was my 'big sister' and I couldn't help but half-smile before replying.

"Patch me through to him, Shal. I'll risk his temper."

I could hear both curiosity and amusement in her voice, "It's your ears, bud. Patching you through now."

There was silence on the line for a long moment before an obviously annoyed Adam answered. "What is it Jesse? I thought you were supposed to be meeting with Rose. Didn't she show up?"

"She showed Adam." I paused, thinking about how to alleviate his annoyance and get his attention where I needed it. "And then things got... complicated."

I could picture my mentor, pacing his office and pinching the bridge of his nose as I said that last word. After a few seconds, I heard him sigh and when he spoke again, the annoyance was gone. "Okay, talk to me Jess."

Letting out my breath, I nodded to myself before answering. "She's definitely an empath, Adam."

"You got her to tell you that?" There was a measure of surprise in his voice and I felt the corner of my mouth quirk upward.

"No, there was a disagreement at the table next to us, and her ability overloaded."

"Just a disagreement? That shouldn't caused her any problem, Jess." I could hear the frown in his tone.

"It was a little more than that, Adam. You're right, it shouldn't have been an issue. But it was."

"Is she okay now? Where is she?" Good, Adam had turned his attention to the problem, not the annoyance of being disturbed.

"She's in the shower. I brought her back to the hotel because I didn't know if she knew how to handle what was happening to her." I knew I wasn't going to have time to get into everything that had happened. Rose didn't have the strength for a long shower. "Adam, her ability overloading was the straightforward part of the afternoon. I don't have time right now to get into it all. I'm going to make sure she eats something and gets some sleep before I take her home."

I heard Adam sigh. "Okay Jess. See if you can get her to tell you what happened, at least. Make sure she knows we're here to help her if she needs it."

"I will, Adam." I heard the shower shut off. "Gotta go, shower just shut off. I'll check in again once she's resting."

Shutting down the connection, I retrieved the glass from the nightstand and poured another three fingers of what turned out to be bourbon in it. A knock on the door resulted in the arrival of my room service order. I had just finished setting it on the table when the bathroom door opened. Turning around, I saw Rose leaning against the doorjamb, arms crossed over her chest, watching me. She was wearing the sweatpants and t-shirt I'd provided which told me she trusted me at least a little.

I motioned to the table. "Sit down. You need to eat something."

Her lips thinned a bit, but she crossed the room slowly and sat down. I set the glass of bourbon in front of her along with the light vegetable soup I'd ordered for her. Only then did I take a seat across the table from her. I didn't say anything, just dug into my cheeseburger while I kept an eye on her. Without the makeup, the circles under her eyes were almost bruises and she was more pale than I'd originally thought.

She was eating, if slowly, which I figured was a good thing. I was done long before she was, even though she only managed to eat about half the soup. I saw it in her face when her stomach decided it'd had enough. Somewhere along the line she'd finished off the bourbon and I could see the questions starting to form in the back of her mind.

I wasn't ready to answer any questions at the moment, and to be honest, Rose probably wasn't in any condition to remember anything I told her, so I stood up and pointed to the bed. "Lay down, Rose. We'll talk after you get some sleep."

She stumbled a bit as she got up, and I moved to help her over to the bed. I nearly stumbled myself as my hand touched hers and I felt a surge of loneliness and fear that wasn't mine. Before it fully registered, we'd reached the bed and Rose had almost collapsed onto it. She shifted just enough to get her head on a pillow and then seemed to fall asleep immediately.

I covered her with a a blanket before turning away to pour myself some of the bourbon. Its not my drink of choice, but I needed something to settle myself and it was already open. By the time I'd turned back around to look at Rose, she'd curled up in a tight little ball at the top corner of the bed. I took a swallow from the glass I'd poured and closed my eyes, trying to figure things out.

After a few minutes, I moved back to the table, taking a seat where I could keep an eye on my guest but where my voice wouldn't disturb her. Setting my glass on the table, I keyed my comlink open again. Adam must of told Shal to go ahead and route my frequency directly to him because before I said anything, his voice came through. "I take it Rose is resting, Jess?"

"Yeah, Adam, though I don't know for how long." I lifted the glass and took a drink. I didn't realize I was tapping the glass with my ring.

"Jess? What's that sound? Are you drinking?" I could hear the frown in his voice even as I took my hand from the glass.

"Yeah," I sighed, "just one. I'm a little rattled, Adam." I was really hoping he'd let it go because I really didn't want a lecture at the moment.

I don't know if it was my voice, or if Adam just knows me well enough, but after a short silence he moved on. "Talk to me Jess. You said Rose's ability overloading was the simple part of the afternoon. What else happened?"

I took a minute to organize my thoughts, even though I knew Adam was impatient to learn what was going on. "Remember those two corporate types outside of Cucina I told you about last week?"

"Yeah, but you said they didn't take any notice of you and Rose."

"Right, but three more showed up at City North today. I had just decided to get Rose out of there when her attention jerked toward the door and, Adam, there was nothing in her expression except terror." I paused long enough to take a drink. "I followed her attention and there they were. Three guys in suits. Two of them felt and moved like private security or secret service. The third guy though, he was different. He reminded me of a puppy dog following a scent, but the number of people in the place seemed to throw him for a loop."

"Rose recognized these guys?"

"No. That's just it Adam, the terror was there before she saw them. I think she felt it and then looked. She didn't recognize them. And they didn't recognize her. I don't think the two security types even knew who they were looking for."

There was silence on the other end of the connection for a bit and I could picture Adam rubbing his chin as he thought. "It doesn't make any sense, Jess, but it's certainly looking like Rose has reason to be scared of someone."

"Yeah, I just wish we knew what. Its not the GSA. Anyway, that was part of the weird stuff. The other part happened when we got to the hotel."

I caught myself tapping my ring against my glass again and swallowed about half of what was left in the glass before setting it down. "I wasn't thinking Adam. Rose managed to doze a little on the drive and I woke her up just before I pulled up to the valet."

I ran a hand through my hair and sighed, disappointed in myself as I thought back. "It wasn't until I was out of the car that I realized I didn't have an explanation for Rose's presence. Turned out she did though."

"I thought you said she was pretty much out of it, Jess?" I could almost hear the wheels turning in Adam's head.

"I thought she was. But when I helped her out of the car, she did a near perfect imitation of a spoiled socialite who'd overindulged and wasn't happy about having to leave the party." I felt a frown wrinkle my brow as something nagged me. "It took pretty much all she had to pull it off. She collapsed, once we were in the elevator and out of sight."

Whatever was nagging me wasn't coming to mind so I let it go for the moment. I knew the harder I chased it, the less likely it was to surface anyway. I was sure we were missing something, something big, but I still couldn't figure out what. Of course, Adam couldn't either and that left me feeling just a little bit better. I finished off my drink and stood just as Adam's voice came over the comlink again.

"She's full of surprises, it seems, Jess." I could hear it in his voice, Adam was thinking hard and fast, but he didn't have any more answers than I did. "See what you can get her to tell you when she wakes up. Offer our help."

"I'll try, Adam, but she's skittish about trusting anyone. And I don't think she's ever had someone to watch her back."

"Do what you can, Jess." Adam's sigh was audible. "What I wouldn't do for a blood sample."

"Not even an option, Adam. It would destroy what little trust she has in me." A part of me couldn't believe he'd even thought about it, but the rest of me understood where my mentor was coming from.

"I know, Jess. I wasn't asking. Just wishing." I caught the sound of keys tapping before he spoke again. "Try to find out what happened to cause the overload. A simple argument shouldn't have been enough to do it. Anything you can get her to tell you might be the key we need to help her. I'd say bring her back to Sanctuary, but I think we'd lose any trust you've built up with her."

"I'll try. I just don't know if it'll do any good."

"Do your best. We can't force help on her, Jess. And be careful. Someone other than the GSA is after her, but if the attention keeps up, it won't take them long to notice her too."

"Right," I sighed, rubbing my chin as I looked over at the subject of our conversation. She wasn't sleeping as quietly as she had been and I had a feeling she'd be waking up soon. I really had hoped she'd manage to get a little more rest. "Look, Adam, I think she's going to wake up soon. I'll do what I can, but expect me to come home alone. I'll update you later if I learn anything."

"Good luck, Jess."

I stared at the wall for a minute trying to figure out how to play things out, but I didn't really have enough data to plan. It looked like I was going to have to wing it. Not my favorite course of action, but it was better than sitting back and doing nothing. I put my glass on the wet bar, retrieving Rose's glass and refilling it. She was starting to stir as I placed it on the nightstand and returned to my seat to wait until my guest woke up.


	8. Shadows

Exhaustion had taken her down into the dark depths despite Rose's efforts to stay awake. Not that she'd objected much, she'd had little enough sleep over the past week. She wanted more, but the searing pounding in her head took the decision out of her hands and she surfaced into consciousness with a moan. Green eyes blinked open slowly and she gave her thoughts a few minutes to catch up. Her ability had overloaded before, but not like this and thinking was hard.

"There's a drink on the nightstand." The male voice was low and quiet and she sensed the speaker was trying not to startle her. A moment later her brain put a name to the voice, Jesse, and the rest of the pieces came together. Rose sat up slowly, hardly waiting until she was upright to down the waiting drink. Only then, as the alcohol burned its way down to her stomach and softened the pounding of her head, did she feel up to offering a thank you.

"You're still looking a little rough, Rose. You can get some more sleep if you want. I don't have to been anywhere anytime soon."

Rose looked toward the voice. Jesse was sitting in a chair across the room, concern written across his face and in his eyes. She shook her head slightly, sighing as she shifted to the edge of the bed. "I won't be able to get back to sleep for awhile."

She used the nightstand to steady herself as she push to her feet, but even so she swayed a bit at first. After a moment she picked up the glass and carefully crossed the room to the chair across the table from him. She set the glass down after she'd taken a seat, all the questions she'd had before coming back to her. "How... How'd you know, Jess?"

The hint of a smile touched his lips before he responded. "How'd I know what? What was happening to you? or what to do about it?"

He leaned his chair back, stretching an arm out to snag a bottle off the wet bar and filling her glass before continuing. "I have a friend who's an empath. I've helped her out a time or two. I'm pretty sure she'd be willing to help you keep this from happening again, if you're interested."

Rose sipped at the alcohol. It was impossible for her not to sense his sincerity with her shields mostly gone, so she considered her answer carefully rather than tossing off a flippant 'no thanks.' "I'm not sure it would help, Jess. This isn't the first time this has happened.."

She watched his fingers drum on the table for a moment before he answered. "I thought not. How often has it happened?"

Another drink, more than a sip this time, and a moment to let the alcohol fuzz the pain and her perception a bit more. Seconds only, but enough time to think before she gave an answer. "More often than it used to. Five or six times in the last two years, I think."

This time it was a frown that touched his lips and Rose sensed that he was thinking hard. "How often did it happen before? What changed?"

Rose shook her head slightly. "Once or twice every couple of years I guess. I don't know what happened that made it change." She stared at the amber liquid in her glass for a long moment before finishing it off. "I think I'd like to go home now. I'll get changed."

The combination of alcohol, exhaustion, and throbbing head made Rose unsteady as she stood, but a hand on the back of her chair kept her from swaying too much. Closing her eyes, she waited a moment until she felt more steady, then made her way to the restroom and her own clothes.

xxxxx

I watched Rose make her way to the restroom, not certain until she got there that she was going to make it. I really wished she'd agreed to get more rest, but I wasn't going to argue with her now that I had some evidence that she trusted me. I didn't think Rose had even realized she'd called me 'Jess' instead of 'Jesse', and that showed a level of unconscious comfort with me. I hadn't gotten a lot of information from her, as usual, but this time, that information actually made sense. It was something Adam and I could work with to figure out what was going on.

As much as I'd have rather taken her back to Sanctuary, if she wanted to go home, that's where I'd take her this time. And I'd try to convince her to meet with Emma on the way. If I was lucky, Rose might even let something else slip, something that would help fit more of the pieces together. I only hoped that whoever was looking for her wouldn't find her before Adam and I finished the puzzle.

While I waited for Rose, I called downstairs to have the car brought around. The less time she was exposed to other people, with the state she was currently in, the happier I'd be. Empathic overload left Emma more sensitive to other people's emotions and less able to block them out, not to mention the migraines. I doubted it would be any different with Rose.

It took less time than I expected before Rose came back out, dressed in her own clothes. I sighed to myself as her body language registered. Despite what had happened, she'd withdrawn into her own thoughts. It hurt a bit to see her shut herself off. She trusted me at least a bit, but not enough, it seemed. I nodded toward the door and followed her out without saying anything, leaving Rose to her thoughts.

The silence was unbroken until the elevator doors opened. As soon as they did, Rose started speaking, as if we had been talking the whole time. It took me a minute to register not only what she was saying but why. It took another minute for the surprise to fade enough for me to start responding.

Rose had remembered the little act she'd put on when we arrived and was putting on the sequel now. The spoiled socialite was chastened and mostly sober. I was amazed that she remembered. Playing along with the act kept my mind busy until we were in the car and pulling out of the drive. Only then did the conversation falter and end.

A glance at the passenger seat told me Rose wasn't interested in talking. She was staring out the window, her gaze unfocused and her thoughts obviously miles away. I probably could have gotten answers from her if I'd started asking questions, but that would have been betraying her trust. Or she'd probably have felt it was. I wasn't willing to take the chance.

The drive wasn't long, though the silence made it seem longer. When I pulled up to the curb in front of her house, I left the engine idling. Reaching back, I grabbed Rose's bag and handed it to her, but I kept one hand on it. I fished a card out of my pocket, different from the card I'd given her before. I laid the card on the bag and caught her eyes. "Rose, you can trust me." I did what I could to keep my feelings open to her ability. "Take the card. If you need help, or get into trouble, call the number on it. Its a direct line."

Rose took the card slowly and her green eyes were suddenly sad and a bit wistful as she looked at the number. She nodded and took her bag before meeting my eyes again. "Thank you, Jesse, for everything."

I didn't like the way those words sounded. They had the sound of 'good-bye.' "Anytime, Rose." I couldn't think of anything else to say at that moment, but I tried to let her sense that the words meant more than what was obvious.

Her only response was a nod, and then she was out of the car and almost running for the door to her house. She didn't look back, despite fumbling with her keys before managing to open the door and slip inside. I waited until I saw a light come on inside before I pulled away from the curb. As I did, I activated my comlink, "Adam?"

"Here, Jess." The sound of Adam's voice helped calm me just a bit.

"I just dropped Rose off at home. I don't know where we stand. It seems like she wants to trust me, but can't quite bring herself to."

"You did the best you could, Jess." There was a hint of irritation in Adam's voice, but I knew it wasn't directed at me. He hated unanswered questions as much as I did. And we both hated not being able to help someone in need.

"I know Adam," even I could hear the frustration in my voice, "but I get the feeling we're running out of time. And there's definitely something going on with her ability."

I found my fingers drumming on the steering wheel and forced myself to stop. "I gave her the dedicated hot-line number with the scramble code before I let her go. And I think I got some real information from her tonight."

Silence on the other end of the comm for a long moment. When Adam's voice returned, it was thoughtful. "What did she tell you?"

I took just a moment to gather my thoughts before answering. "This wasn't the first time her ability has overloaded, but she said its happening more often than it used to. It used to be once or twice every couple of years. That's about right for even a natural mutation isn't it?"

"Yeah, even a natural mutation would have an occasional 'growth spurt', Jess. Once every couple of years sounds about right."

"Okay, then something happened a couple of years ago, Adam. Rose said that she's overloaded five or six times in the last couple of years. That's every four or five months. Something had to have changed but Rose couldn't think of anything."

I heard Adam typing, and then silence for a minute. "That's about the same time her current identity starts showing up from what I can see, Jess. I think we finally have something to work with."

"Let's hope it doesn't turn out to be a dead end. I'll be back as soon as I can tomorrow."

"See you then, Jess. Try not to worry too much."

xxxxx

Rose managed to hold it together until Jesse's headlights disappeared, but that was as long as her control lasted. She collapsed on the sofa, unable to stop the tears rolling down her cheeks. With her ability so raw and sensitive after the overload, she knew, without a doubt, that the molecular wanted to help her, despite the unanswered questions he had.

She'd wanted nothing more than to tell him the truth but that would be disastrous. He'd hate her as soon as she told him who she worked for. That was as far as her thinking would go, her mind still reeling and racing from the day, and bringing to mind nothing but worst case scenarios. Rose spent a few minute mindlessly smoothing out the card Jesse had given her, then staring at the number that she knew all too well. After a few minutes, she tucked the card into her bag and, wiping the tears away, stood shakily.

She couldn't think straight and she was in no condition to try to work out her next steps. Rose put a kettle on the stove and pulled a custom tea blend from the cupboard. She rarely used this one, but it would calm her mind and help her sleep. When the kettle whistled, she poured the water over the tea leaves and let them steep for a count of one hundred. Once the count was up, she drank the tea as quickly as she could and headed for bed. The one thought she tried to hold on to as the tea did its work was that the next day would bring her answers.

xxxxx

The next day didn't bring any answers, but Rose didn't make a big effort to come up with any either. Instead she spent the day resting and rebuilding the mental shields she'd lost when the overload happened. That was more than enough to keep her mind occupied and to wear her out enough to sleep.

Monday morning found her in her cubicle, typing up a mostly fictional report for Eckhardt and Thorne. It was more difficult than she expected, but she couldn't hint at what had really happened. She stressed that Jesse had shown signs of trusting her and had given her more contact information.

Rose hoped it would be enough, that she wouldn't have to make a report in person, though really she knew it was a vain hope. But her empathy was still raw and she'd be hard pressed to maintain her facade if she had to deal with Eckhardt in person. His emotions, and sometimes lack of them, could be like poison to someone with her ability. Most of the time, she could shunt them away, ignore them, but she wasn't sure she could even tolerate them today, much less keep up the act of a loyal GS agent.

As much as she'd hoped it wouldn't come, the dreaded alert popped up on her screen just before noon. Rose felt her shoulders sag even as she acknowledged it. At least she hadn't had to deal with Thorne this morning as well. As far as she knew, he'd been out on some errand for their boss all morning. The walk to Eckhardt's office wasn't long enough for her to strengthen her mental walls much, but she did what she could. Still, his emotions hit hard as she stepped into the room.

"Ms Briggs, it appears my trust in your abilities has not been misplaced as of yet." Self-satisfaction and a growing, malicious anticipation were foremost in his mind.

Rose only just stopped the sigh of relief from escaping and she raised her head with a faint, forced smile. "I'm glad I haven't disappointed you, Mr. Eckhardt. I believe Kilmartin will give me the information you desire after another meeting or two."

_**Finally I'll get what I want.**_

She blinked at the voice in her head. It was bad enough she had to put up with his emotions. Did her mind have to start giving them a voice as well?

Eckhardt gave her a cold smile. "I concur. You seem to inspire confidence and trust in people. That would make me nervous if your actions didn't back it up."

Speechless for a moment, Rose inhaled and pasted a faint smile back on her lips. "Thank you, Mr. Eckhardt. Was there anything I left out of my report?"

"No, Ms. Briggs, you're report was remarkably complete. I believe you have still have some training to complete, so see to it."

Rose nodded and left the office, making her way back to her cubicle in a bit of a daze. It took almost a half an hour before she managed to regain her equilibrium and ability to think coherently and she didn't bother even trying to eat lunch.

It was just as well that she skipped the mid-day meal. The files Thorne had left for her to study only made her stomach roil even more. She'd known about the subdermal governors and the stasis pods - you couldn't work for Genomex, much less the GSA, without knowing about them. She hadn't known how they actually worked or how the GSA used them though. And now that she did, Rose wished she'd remained nothing more than a technical researcher. Each revelation felt like a knife twisting in her stomach, but she couldn't let it show.

The drive home lessened her stress levels slightly, enough that she might manage to eat some ramen or something. While the water heated on the stove, she made a short phone call, leaving a message that gave her some satisfaction. Knowing she wouldn't have to make another report, or likely see Eckhardt again until next week eased her stomach enough that when the ramen was ready, she was actually able to eat it.

Thorne was constantly around the rest of the week. The training regimen and tests he set Rose were mentally exhausting and disturbing. It would have been bad enough without the mental and emotional tightrope she was trying to walk. With it, she found herself barely able to sleep or eat as the week went on. And the bits and pieces of conversation she seemed to be picking up from her coworkers didn't help. By Friday night, Rose knew she wasn't going to be able to sleep without some help.


	9. The Calm

Adam and I managed to make a bit of progress in finding out more about Rose. The two-year time frame was the key. It seemed Rose didn't much like doctors and meant there were only a few likely opportunities for someone to have messed with her DNA. At least with the methods we were aware of. But it was a start. It was more than we'd had and there was a lot we, or at least Adam, could determine from her medical records, if we could get access to them.

We got another warning about a raid, this one scheduled for late in the week. That gave us plenty of time to get the new mutants in that safe-house to someplace more secure. Unfortunately, the call was just as untraceable as the earlier ones and we still didn't know anything more about who was making the calls or how they were getting their information.

I managed to talk with Emma about Rose's overload and she confirmed my suspicions. She also agreed to meet with Rose and try to help her regain control over her ability. All we had to do was convince Adam and Rose. I had a feeling that the former was going to be the easier of the two.

With Emma and I both making our arguments, Adam conceded pretty easily. Provided I could get Rose to agree, Emma would make the trip into the city with me this weekend. That eased some of my concern, but I still felt like we were running out of time. I had a feeling that Adam had given in so easily because he felt the same way.

I fired off an email to Rose on Wednesday to see if she was willing to meet with Emma. To be honest, I didn't expect to get a response until Friday, if at all. I hadn't forgotten how her last words had sounded. Her agreement to the meeting was in my mailbox on Thursday morning. I didn't know what had caused the change of heart, but I wasn't about to question it at that point.

* * *

Emma and I got to City North a few minutes after eleven. It was busy, but not as crowded as the previous week which, to my mind, was all to the good. I made a slow scan of the tables but didn't see Rose. It was possible she was running late or even having second thoughts though I hoped the latter wasn't the case. After getting our drinks, Emma and I found a table and sat down to wait. I double checked my email, just to make sure Rose hadn't sent an update or cancellation, but there was nothing new in my in-box.

By 11:15 I was getting uneasy. Rose hadn't been late to any of our meetings. I was always the one running a few minutes behind. This wasn't like her. Emma convinced me to wait until 11:30 but as the minutes passed I was more and more convinced something was wrong.

Emma suggested it, but I would have swung by Rose's house anyway. It was close by and I knew that I would just continue to worry if I didn't check on her. With everything that had happened last week, I wasn't going to assume that everything was okay. Rose could have had another overload, or the people looking for her might have found her. And those were just the first things that came to mind.

My mind was on Rose, though something nagged at me as pulled up to the curb in front of her house. Her car was in the driveway and I frowned. Something was definitely wrong.

"Emma, keep your senses open, will you? Something's not right."

She nodded, climbing out of the mustang as I did and leaning against the side of the car. I double timed it up to Rose's door and knocked. Admittedly, I was worried and impatient, so after a minute I rang the doorbell a couple of times. I was about to ring it again when I heard a muffled voice.

A few seconds later, Rose opened the door just enough to look out. She looked dazed, blinking slowly a few times before she said anything. Her eyes were bloodshot and if I'd had to guess, I would have said she'd just woken up.

"Jess? What are you doing here?" I frowned. Not only did Rose seem dazed, but it wasn't like her to forget a meeting. I'd learned that much about her over the past few weeks. She blinked a couple more times, some of the bleariness fading from her eyes and the door sliding open another inch or two as she leaned forward a bit.

"Wait... " Rose glanced past me and inhaled sharply. "What time is it? oh... " she shook her head slightly. "I'm sorry Jess. We were supposed to meet today, weren't we?"

I nodded, but I don't think Rose saw it. She had dropped her head and coughed softly. As she spoke again I caught a quick glance of the living room. It was a mess compared to when I'd been there and I could've sworn there was a bottle of alcohol on the coffee table.

"I'm sorry, Jesse. I got sick last night. I thought I'd be okay today or I would have emailed you. Please tell your friend I'm really sorry for making her come out for nothing."

"Hey, its okay. I was just worried about you." I reached out to touch her arm, trying to reassure her, but she flinched back. I froze for a second before I slowly pulled my hand back, her reaction shocking me. "Rose? Is everything else okay?"

The smile she gave me was less than reassuring, but there wasn't much I could do at the moment if Rose didn't want to confide in me. "Yeah. Everything else is okay. I'm just still feeling a bit queasy." She met my eyes for just a moment, still smiling weakly. "Don't worry about me. Take your friend to Cucina for lunch. I'll email you during the week."

_**Hopefully...**_

Was that my thought, or hers? Rose was home, ill, but home. I should be relieved, but something about the situation was making me more worried, not less. Unfortunately, unless I wanted to force the issue, there wasn't anything more I could do here at the moment. I nodded, studying Rose for a long moment before I turned around and headed back to the car. By the time I got there, Rose's door was closed.

Emma slid into the passenger seat as I got behind the wheel. I'd barely gotten the car started when she spoke. "She's definitely an empath, Jess. I couldn't get much from her, but she's terrified of something. And she's lonely. That almost overwhelmed the fear."

I pulled away from the curb, nodding to Emma's words. They didn't surprise me and a part of me was glad to get confirmation of what I'd suspected Rose was feeling. As I turned the corner, I noticed something that hadn't registered as we drove in. Maybe it was because I had Emma's confirmation that something wasn't right, or maybe I was just paying more attention.

This time I saw the parked sedan, and the two corporate types sitting inside it. I checked the rear view mirror. We weren't in sight of Rose's house, but they were still too close for my comfort. Emma and I would have quite a bit to tell Adam even though the plans for the day had gone awry.

xxxxx

Rose knew Jesse hadn't completely bought her excuse, but he'd let it slide and she was grateful for that much. The alcohol had let her sleep at some point but it hadn't solved any of her problems. She hadn't expected it to. At least she wouldn't have to make a report come Monday.

She laid back down on the sofa, hoping for a little more rest. Sleep had been hard to come by, even her teas not helping. That's why she'd resorted to the alcohol last night. She'd forgotten to take into account that she hadn't been able to eat much though. Rose was pretty sure that was why the alcohol had hit her so hard.

She couldn't resort to that solution again. Not with work and the very real chance that Jesse would decide to check up on her again before he left town. The best she could do was try to sleep. Try to let her mind sort through everything without stressing out over it. It wasn't much, or easy, but racking her brain for answers hadn't worked.


	10. The Storm

Monday dawned bright and clear. Rose felt exactly the opposite. She'd slept poorly and there was a sour taste in her mouth as she got ready for work. She'd been forced to skip her morning coffee, her stomach already too awash in acid to even contemplate adding more. If she could have called in sick without raising suspicions, she would have. At least her shields were holding and her emotions were mostly composed by the time she arrived.

Unfortunately, passing by Thorne's office almost made her lose her hard won composure. He was gloating and very pleased. That boded poorly for some new mutant, but there wasn't anything she could do about it.

The alert that popped up on her screen as soon as she logged into her computer did cause Rose's composure to slip, but at least there wasn't anyone to see it. She had a meeting with Eckhardt at 11 am. Combined with what she'd felt from Thorne, she dreaded finding out what the subject of the meeting would be. Burying herself in the minutiae of GSA rules and regulations at least kept her mind busy in the intervening hours.

It also helped her build her mental walls up enough to distance herself from Thorne's emotions. It didn't seem to be enough to stop her mind from providing the words that might go along with those emotions, which was odd, but it wasn't something she had time or energy to think about just then. At least she had enough warning to maintain an impassive expression even as she felt the same emotions amplified threefold as she entered Eckhardt's office.

"Ms. Briggs. Mr. Thorne reports favorably on your progress. Today you will be joining him on a GSA raid. You are to stay in the background and observe only."

Rose heard the words, but her mind was providing her with a made-up litany of the thoughts behind him and she almost winced. Panic started to set in as she realized Eckhardt and Thorne were both waiting for a response. She managed a nod and a soft thank you for the opportunity. It was enough. Eckhardt dismissed her with instructions to get the details from Thorne and she hurried back to her cubicle.

A few minutes after she logged back in, Thorne sent her the details, and her instructions. Because of her research expertise, her job was to obtain the floor plans of the safe-house they were raiding, and to posit the likely security measures. And she only had an hour to do it.

The address made it a simple task to obtain the floor plans, or at least the originals. No doubt they had been changed, but there was still a fair amount of information she could get from it. She knew the area of town the safe-house was in and that allowed her to make some assumptions and educated guesses about the more obvious security options.

Half an hour after she'd received the assignment, Rose was headed out to her car. She slipped behind the wheel and laid her head against the headrest, closing her eyes for a moment. She'd known, from the minute she ran into Jesse, that sooner or later the two lives she was living were going to collide. It seemed like today was the day. She felt sick and was only just keeping her fear from taking over.

After a few deep breaths, Rose dug her phone out of her pocket and pried the back cover off. It took a minute to switch out the SIM chip, slide the cover back on and power up the phone. Once it was ready, she opened an app and made a few modifications. She was too impatient to make all the changes she'd intended to. The number she needed was already in the speed dial list though this time she added the extra code on the card that Jesse had given her. She kept the message short, there was little enough time as it was.

"There's going to be a raid on the safe-house on 24th street in about 90 minutes. Sorry I couldn't warn you sooner but I just found out."

It only took a couple of minutes to reconfigure her phone and then she was heading back inside to give Thorne the information she'd come up with.

* * *

"Shit." I looked at the time-stamp on the message and then at the clock. I'd caught the message as it came in, but there wasn't any time to waste. I slid out from behind the computer, keying my comlink on the run. "Safe-house raid in less than 90 minutes. I'm firing up the Helix. Details on the way."

By the time I'd received acknowledgments from the rest of the team, I was already firing up the Double Helix. Even as Brennan slid into the other pilot's seat, I had the craft in the air and headed out of the hanger bay.

"Coordinates are loaded, Bren. You got it?"

The dark head nodded as he took the controls. Brown eyes looked over at me curiously. "What's going on, bro? How come the short notice?"

I was already pulling up the call and putting it on the speakers. I filled in the few details I had as soon as it ended. "Our mysterious informant apparently came into the information late. Scrambled number and voice modified like before. Two differences this time. They used the scramble code when they called and the voice modification wasn't as complex. Our caller is a woman."

As I spoke, I shunted the schematics for the safe-house to my teammates screens. As the images came up, the atmosphere shifted from frantic to controlled. I could tell my teammates were still worried, the lack of time to plan would make things more dangerous, but this was something we were used to, and we weren't going in completely blind.

"This is safe-house 9. It's one of our smaller ones, only houses three or four people. There is a back door, but I wouldn't suggest using it. It leads to a narrow alley lined with fire escapes. Anyone going out that way would be a sitting duck."

Brennan made an adjustment to our course and activated the stealth systems on the Helix. "Can you take the back then, Jess? You can hold that doorway if the GSA sends someone in that way."

I nodded, updating the plans and sending a copy back to Adam at Sanctuary. As rushed as we were, my anxiety had increased out of proportion. The fact that we were on a short time table reminded me of Rose and that sense of running out of time. Something else was nagging me, but I didn't have time to figure it out now. I could only hope we were in time to thwart the raid and figure out everything else later.

* * *

Dressed in a regulation GSA suit, Rose slid into the backseat of the black SUV with some trepidation. Thorne took the front passenger seat as the driver turned the engine over. For most of the drive, she listened as Thorne lectured on what was expected of her. She barely listened, hoping the safe-house would prove to be empty. It wasn't until just before they arrived that she actually listened to him. "Ms Briggs. You will be accompanying Waters and Shulman. Your job is to make sure that no one gets out the back door."

Thorne let her out at the end of a narrow alley. Two cookie cutter GS agents were waiting for her and she assumed they were Waters and Shulman though she didn't bother asking. Rose just followed them down the alley, through a couple of turnings until the end came into site.

The height of the buildings cut off both sun and wind. There was still a touch of morning chill in the shadowed alley and Rose shivered. She was grateful for the chill though. At least it kept the smell of the garbage strewn around the alley down.

The closer they got to the end of the alley, the more Rose started to pick up. It was hard to keep her expression impassive, especially with the intensity of the emotions she was sensing. If what she was feeling was at all accurate, Mutant X was in the building. They'd gotten her warning. Now they just had to get out. She'd really hoped that they'd be able to get in and out before the GSA arrived, but that had been wishful thinking given the short notice.

One familiar presence was heading for the back door and Rose took a couple of steps back. She could only hope that door wouldn't open because if it did everything she'd been working for, everything she'd allowed herself to hope for, would be gone.

It seemed her luck, what little of it Rose had, had finally run out.

xxxxx

The warning had come almost soon enough. Just a few more minutes and we would have gotten everyone out and been gone before the GSA arrived. The 3 new mutants who had been staying at the safe-house were on their way to safety at least. All we had to worry about was getting ourselves out and that we had plenty of experience with.

I headed for the back door as planned. It wasn't likely the GSA would try to send people in that way, but if they did, I could hold the door by myself until the rest of the team got away. I was already scanning the alley as I stepped outside, but I froze as the door swung shut... For a crucial second, shock and disbelief paralyzed me. GS agents I'd expected. Rose standing with them, I hadn't.

_**Jesse! Run! Get out of here!**_

The words were carried on a wave of shame and fear, directly into my mind. The power behind them overwhelmed me for few seconds, but it seemed Rose had broadcast them broadband because the two other agents were clutching their heads even as I raised mine. My eyes caught hers and in that split second, I saw a welter of emotions run across her face.

Motion in my peripheral vision caught my attention and I turned to find one of the agents pulling his gun. It wasn't me he was aiming for though, it was Rose. Even as I started to move, my brain kicked into overdrive. These agents had just discovered that one of their own was an uncontrolled mutant. That made her a traitor and a more immediate threat than I was... And that was their mistake.

I massed as I rushed the agent, spoiling his aim, but the other agent had his gun out now too. Even as I moved toward him, he took aim at Rose. There was the briefest of hesitations before she turned and ran. I wasn't close enough for anything but a high kick. I connected, but the gun went off just as I did. The agent hit wall but didn't go down. Momentum spun me around just in time to see Rose turn abruptly before hitting the brick wall behind her and fall, unmoving, to the ground.

In that moment, all the frustration and anxiety I'd been feeling coalesced. I phased through the agent who'd shot Rose and lashed out with a back kick. The connection reverberated up my leg and I felt a certain satisfaction as he dropped to the ground, already unconscious.

I'd expected an attack from the other agent, but it hadn't come. A quick scan of the surroundings found him and for a brief second I saw red. He'd just injected Rose with a subdermal governor. I rushed him, massing just before slamming him into the wall. Conscious or not, he wouldn't be going anywhere anytime soon.

I was close enough by then to see the blood spreading out beneath Rose, and she still wasn't moving. Not good and I didn't have a lot of options. I activated my comlink. "Guys, I've got a mutant who's hurt bad. I'll explain later, but I'm getting her to the Helix. Meet you there."

There wasn't any time to evaluate how badly Rose was hurt. More GS agents might come down the alley or out the door. She was still breathing, if shallowly and I took that as a good sign. I knew it might cause more damage, but the need to move quickly was more important right now. I swung Rose up into a fireman's carry and after a quick mental review, phased us both through the wall and into a stairwell. It was a matter of minutes to reach the roof and the stealthed Helix. By the time the others arrived, I had Rose strapped into a seat and the medical scan parameters set.

Brennan slid past me and into the pilot's seat without even a glance at our passenger. He knew I'd be busy tending to her injuries and it would be his responsibility to get us in the air. Emma's eyes widened a bit, but something was holding her attention and she more or less felt her way into her seat. Only Shalimar took a good look at the woman I was treating and I winced as she reacted.

"What the hell, Jess? She's a GS agent!"

Shal braced herself against one of the seats, glaring at me. Brennan finished the takeoff before turning a disbelieving look in my direction. I barely glanced at either of them, intent on reading the scan results. Adam's voice came through the com system requesting an update and saving me from having to make an immediate answer. I affixed a visual cloak to Rose's temple and waited.

The exasperation was easy to hear in Shal's voice as she answered Adam. "Jesse brought an injured GS agent on to the Helix, Adam."

I felt a wry smile touch my lips as I spoke up. "I think I finally found out what Rose was hiding, Adam." A short, humorless chuckle escaped before I continued. "Guys, this is Rose. And it seems she's a telepath as well as an empath."

Shock stopped the conversation for a few seconds, but it didn't take long before Shal and Brennan found their voices, and their objections, again. I just let their voices flow around me as I set up the last of the scans and patched them through to Sanctuary. I rigged a pressure bandage over Rose's wound and finally sat down. After a minute, I lifted my comlink to my lips and triggered a private link to my mentor. "Adam, Rose was shot trying to warn me. She sent out a broadband telepathic call. They didn't know she was a mutant until then."

The other end of the link was silent for a long moment as Adam digested what I'd said. "All right Jess, I understand. But sedate her, and put a visual cloak on her. Looks like I'll get my blood sample after all."

"Visual cloak is already in place, Adam. Her scans should be coming to you now. Just tell me which sedative to use." I didn't think the sedative was necessary, but I wasn't going to argue against it. I was already going to have enough explaining to do.

"Just a minute," I heard his keyboard click a few times. "Sending you the dosage information now, Jess."

"Thanks, Adam." I knew Adam would hear the relief in my voice that I wasn't going to have to argue with him about this.

"Don't thank me yet, Jess. She may have warned you, but she's been withholding information and lying to us. And we still don't know who she really is."

I sighed, knowing he was right. "Trust me, Adam, I know. And I get the feeling this isn't the end of things." Shutting down the comlink, I got the sedative started and then kept my attention on the scans.

Shal and Brennan had apparently realized I wasn't listening to them and shut up, but a brief glance at their posture was enough to tell me they weren't happy with the situation. I wasn't about to try to explain things at the moment though, I had other things to keep my attention.

Whatever had kept Emma's attention seemed to have let go though. I caught her glance as she shook her head slightly. She looked at Rose, and then me for a few seconds, then made her way to the front of the Helix. Leaning between the pilot's chairs, I could barely hear her words to the others. "Guys, she really did risk herself for Jesse. And she knew exactly what she was doing when she did."

Blond and brown heads turned to look at the empath in surprise and they spluttered a bit before her expression registered. "From what I picked up, she lost a lot more than just her job today. So let's give her a chance before we rush to judgment, okay?"

I managed to catch Emma's eye as she returned to her seat and mouthed a thank you to her. She gave me a slight smile as she sat down and turned her attention elsewhere again. The rest of the flight was quiet to the ears, if not to our minds.

xxxxx

Pain had taken her down a dark tunnel to oblivion, and that's where Rose wanted to stay. Hints of pain intruded on occasion, trying to pull her back to the present. Rose fought to stay where she was and not just to prevent the return of the pain, though that was certainly one reason. Well, motivation, maybe, rather than reason, since rational though wasn't exactly on the play card at the moment.

Besides, the physical pain wasn't the only thing she'd left behind. Rose couldn't remember exactly what it was, but there was something she dreaded returning to even more than the pain. So she fought the return of consciousness, allowing the warm eddies of lethargy to pull her further into the darkness and overwhelm her. She fled from the hints of pain and hid herself from the presences, familiar and unfamiliar, that tried to pull her from the safety of the darkness. Whatever was waiting for her there, she wasn't up to dealing with it right now.


	11. Aftermath

aniki19 - thank you for the review! I'm glad you're liking the story so far and knowing someone is reading it helps me stay excited about it!

* * *

Emma and I got Rose to the med-lab where Adam was waiting. I couldn't tell what my mentor was thinking and that bothered me a bit, but he turned his attention to a more thorough evaluation of Rose's condition. Thankfully Brennan and Shalimar had stayed behind to shut the Helix down.

Rose's skin was so pale it was almost translucent against the backdrop of the dark GSA suit and the blood spotting the makeshift bandage on her shoulder. All the scans said she was stable but it seemed to me, as I watched Adam's examination, that she was scarcely breathing. And she hadn't shown any sign of waking up, though that might be from the sedative. I didn't bother to hide my concern. "Adam, How long should that sedative keep her under?"

Adam's brow lifted slightly as he glanced at me before answering. "She should wake up soon, Jess."

He slipped an object out of her jacket pocket and tossed it to me. "Why don't you see what you can do with that while we wait?"

The object turned out to be Rose's cell phone and I stared at it for a minute then glanced at it's owner before looking at my mentor again. I had to ask. "She's going to be okay, isn't she, Adam?"

Adam looked at the scan results for a long moment before replying. When he did, his voice was calm and businesslike. "The bullet didn't hit anything vital. It is closer to the subclavian artery and brachial plexus than I'd like and that complicates things a bit." He punched a few buttons and studied the new information on the screen. "Probable concussion from the looks of the scans, and I'm not sure how her abilities might be affected by that, especially in conjunction with the governor."

Adam turned to face me directly, leaning back against the counter. "And I don't even want to touch the governor until we get a few other things straightened out. She wasn't in great shape before she was shot, Jess." He rubbed a had over his jaw. "You said you didn't think she'd been sleeping well, and you were right. She's exhausted. And she's got the start of an ulcer."

I nodded, knowing that despite his explanation, that the things Adam wanted straightened out weren't all medical. I didn't bother to hide my frown, but Adam knows me well enough to know that it was more for the situation than his words. So I would do as he asked, but I would do it here, in the med-lab.

I found a seat at one of the terminals before opening the phone. No pass-code or other security, which made me suspect I wasn't going to find anything significant. And I was right, mostly. The only numbers and calls on the phone were for common things like take-out restaurants and utility companies. I did find it slightly odd that there were no work or personal numbers, but after a moment's thought I remembered how isolated Rose kept herself. From hints she'd dropped over the weeks, I was pretty sure she didn't like working for Genomex, so she'd probably resisted programming a work number into the phone.

I set the phone down on the counter and stared at the uninformative screen, drumming my fingers on the desk as I thought. Yeah, I know, bad habit, but it's something I tend to do when I'm not working a keyboard. I didn't notice it at first, but after a bit I realized the phone wasn't laying quite flat on the desk.

I picked it up and ran my hand over the surface of the desk, double checking there was nothing there. Nope, so I turned my attention back to the phone, turning it over and running my fingers over the back cover. There was a slight bulge there that I hadn't noticed originally. Powering the phone down, I carefully pried the back cover off and looked at the inside of the phone. I didn't see anything unusual, so I looked at the cover. Attached to the inside was a SIM card. I felt my eyebrows rise as I carefully pried the card loose with a fingernail.

It looked like a normal SIM card and I studied it for a moment before setting it down. Removing the original SIM card, I replaced it with the new one. I slid the back cover into place and powered the phone back up as I turned it over.

A new home screen came up, one with only two icons on it and my eyes narrowed. One of the icons was a common enough speed dialer, but the other one was a voice modification app. My mind made a huge mental leap and I searched for the SIM chip's call log. I already knew, without a doubt, what I'd find, but I had to see it.

As the log came up, I let out a slow breath. There were no incoming calls and all the outgoing calls were to the same number - a number I knew all too well, since I saw it every day. "Adam!"

I think it was the tone of my voice that got Adam's attention, because he left his scans and came over to where I was sitting. I handed him the phone and gave him a second to look at the call log. "I haven't checked the time-stamps or call lengths yet, but I think we just found the source of our mysterious warnings."

Adam nodded, brown eyes thoughtful as he ran a hand over his face. "Everything points to her being on our side even though she was working for Genomex. But it could also be a set up."

I couldn't help it, my temper spiked at Adam's last works and I was ready to argue with my mentor. Adam saw it and he raised a hand to stop me before I got started. "I'm not saying that's the case, Jess. Just that its a possibility. I want you to give her address to Shalimar and Brennan. They can check her place out and see if there's anything there to help us figure out what's going on."

He keyed the comm system and called Bren and Shal to the lab. When they arrived, he tossed Rose's keys to Brennan. "I want you two to go to Rose's house and see what you can find. Jess will send you the address. After that, see if you can retrieve her car from Genomex, but don't take any extra risk to do it."

Brennan nodded to our leader, but I didn't miss the look of disbelief he shot at me before he left. Shal didn't leave right away. Instead, she joined me, laying a gentle hand on my shoulder. My 'big sister' didn't say anything, but her eyes and her expression let me know that we were okay, even if she didn't understand what was going on. Relief swept through me and I flashed her a small smile before she left.

"Verify those calls, Jess. Hopefully Brennan and Shal will have something for us soon and we'll know where to start looking next." Adam's voice jolted me out of my thoughts and I nodded to let him know I'd heard him. My fingers were already tapped out the commands to send Rose's address to Bren and Shal.

That done, it only took me a couple of minutes to pull up our call logs and filter them for the raid warnings. The comparison of that list to the one on Rose's phone took even less time. The time-stamps and call lengths matched. This phone, or at least the SIM card in it, had made those calls. I swiveled my chair around to look at Rose.

She made those calls. I knew it, even though I couldn't actually say it definitively until I could run her voice through the modification app on the phone. She'd warned us about the raids, risked her life to warn me during the last raid. She didn't agree with the GSA's policies. So why had she been working for them? What had driven her to take the job and how had she hidden her mutancy from them? She'd gone to the trouble of getting, or creating, a very good false identity - probably to get the job. She'd stuck with it for almost two years based on what Adam and I had found, and then thrown it away to warn me. Why?

The time on the clock caught my eye and I frowned. I hadn't realized how much time had gone by and a glance told me Rose still wasn't stirring. The concern I felt filtered into my voice. "Adam, shouldn't she be awake by now?"

I watched as Adam redirected his attention to the clock and then to the most recent scan data. His frown, as he double checked the data and then ran a new scan, worried me. So did the long silence before he answered me. "You're right, Jess."

My mentor's fingers moved quickly over the keys as he watched the new scan data filter into discrete data groups. He pinched the bridge of his nose, never a good sign, as he reviewed the results once more before continuing. "Everything on the scan looks good and the sedative is almost completely out of her system. There's no medical reason she's not awake yet as far as I can see."

"She doesn't want to wake up." The soft voice was unexpected. I had forgotten that Emma was still in the lab, and from Adam's reaction, he had too apparently. Not surprising that it took us both a minute or two to make sense of what she'd said. When I did, it left me confused. I was the one who asked, though by Adam's expression, he had the same question. "Why wouldn't she want to wake up, Emma?"

"She's afraid, Jess. It's not like she's thinking rationally right now. She's not really thinking at all," Emma paused, leaning against the wall and crossing her arms over her chest before continuing. "Her subconscious realizes that she just turned her life upside down and she's associating that with the pain she's in." Emma sighed and looked sadly at the woman I'd rapidly come to consider a friend. "She's tired, exhausted really. I think she's been waging a war with herself for a long time."

I stood up to pace, watching the floor as I thought. I was putting some pieces together, if slowly, and I scratched the back of my neck as I verbalized them. "She doesn't know what she'll wake up to." I looked up and caught my mentor's eyes for a moment, then glanced at Emma before dropping my gaze to the floor again. "She might find herself back at Genomex. In which case, she'd be waking up to a nightmare."

Emma's voice interrupted my thoughts. "Or she might wake up here. Sure that you'd hate her now that you know she was lying to you. Or she might find herself alone with nothing left because she threw away her job at Genomex and lost any chance she had work with us." The words were gentle, but their impact wasn't.

"Shit." The work escaped even as I slumped back into my chair. I had considered a lot of things, but that Rose might be afraid of me wasn't one of them. Knowing what I did of Rose, I knew that Emma was right, even if I didn't want to believe it. I looked at Rose, still laying motionless on the bio-bed and ran a hand through my hair, feeling completely helpless.

"She's not dying, Jess. She just wants to rest." Emma's voice was soft and I knew she was trying to make me feel better, so I nodded, but my thoughts were elsewhere. Rose, in her mind, had given up everything. To her way of thinking, there was nothing to come back to - nothing good, anyway. Whatever her past was, it had convinced her she was alone, that no one would take her side. Even though we'd developed some trust, a bit of a relationship, it wasn't enough to overcome her past. It hurt a bit, but mostly it depressed me because I knew it wasn't personal and I didn't have any clue how to counteract it.

"I'll keep a mental eye on her, Jess, and I'll try to project a feeling of safety while I'm in the lab." While I was thinking, Emma had crossed the lab and now she laid a gentle hand on my shoulder. "Give her some time. She'll eventually start thinking again, instead of just reacting."

I knew that Adam was observing us, but right at that moment, I didn't much care. I was regretting that I'd been so stubborn about getting to know Rose. I'd known she was uncomfortable with it, though she'd tried to hide it. Maybe if I hadn't been so persistent, Rose would be going about a normal day, doing whatever it was she had originally been doing at Genomex.

"Jess, why don't you see what you can get from Genomex badge? We might be able to figure out why she was working for them if we can determine what she was doing."

Again, I was startled out of my thoughts, this time by Adam. Anger flashed, directed at my mentor, but I took a deep breath. Yelling at Adam wouldn't accomplish anything. He was giving me make-work while Rose needed help. Not that there was much I could do for her at the moment. And there was a slight chance we might learn something useful from the badge. In any case, it would keep my mind busy. I sighed and instead of protesting, nodded and retrieved the badge. Adam probably noticed my anger, but he didn't say anything.

I've been in and out of Genomex's computer systems so many times that it's not much of a challenge anymore, but it does take time. I don't like to waste time so on past visits I'd left a few hacks in their code base to give me a back door in. They hadn't had time to react to the events of the raid yet, so all my hacks were still intact. Finding Rose's original file wasn't difficult, since employee records, at least for non-mutants, weren't secured all that well. I didn't find much, the job she'd originally been hired for and the date she'd started. Getting access to her GSA profile would be a little more difficult, but not impossible, by any means. I dug in and let the code consume my thoughts.


	12. Questionable Data

"Adam? We're at Rose's place." Even through the comlink, we could hear surprise and puzzlement in Brennan's voice. "Who the hell is this woman? She's got multiple sets of ID stashed around the place and a go-bag in the hall closet."

It was obvious from the sounds coming through the comm that he was still looking around. "Everything else looks perfectly normal. Shal says there are some Chinese teas in the kitchen that smell medicinal."

I could see Adam thinking. "Bring it all in, including the teas, Brennan."

I pictured Rose's living room and remembered the laptop. "Bren, she's got a laptop and probably a desktop too. Grab the hard drive from the desktop if she has one, and bring the laptop in too."

"Got it." There was a moment of silence, then Brennan's voice came over the comm again. "Adam, there's something else. All the ID sets have the same business card with them."

"The same card?" Curiosity was obvious in Adam's voice.

"Yeah. They're for a place called 'The Centre.' Just a single name, Jarod, and a phone number - 1-555-200-2455 x 91652."

"Thanks for the update, Brennan. Finish up and get back here." Adam's response had been almost absent and he was tapping his chin thoughtfully. I knew that look. Something Brennan had said had triggered a connection for Adam. He turned back to the computer, typing in a few more commands. When he finished, he spoke again. "I'm going back to my office. I've set the system to alert me to any changes in Rose's condition," a quick glance at both Emma and myself was all he spared as he headed out. "Emma, let me know if you get anything else from her."

Emma and I both watched him leave then looked at each other. I think we were both wondering what Adam knew that we didn't. After a second or two, Emma shrugged slightly and we both turned back to our work.

* * *

Adam activated the video and audio scrambling software even as he slid behind his computer. Pulling the keyboard closer, he set fingers to the keys but then paused. The scientist had no idea where Rose had gotten those cards, but he recognized the name and number on them. Or rather, he recognized what the number represented. It was a coded IPV6 address. He logged in and entered the correct address, then waited for the connection to be made.

"Roslin," The dark haired man on the other end of the connection hadn't been looking at the screen and his surprise was evident in his expression when he saw Adam. "Adam Kane. It's been awhile. Genetics conference five years ago, I think."

The man frowned slightly. "How did you get this contact information?"

"Jarod," Adam smiled slightly, acknowledging the other man with a nod. "Good to see you again. Who's this Roslin? And why were you expecting me to be her?"

"Roslin's one of mine and you used her number." Now one dark eyebrow lifted in query as Jarod gave Adam a crooked smile. "Your turn. How'd you get this contact information? And why do you want to know about Roslin?"

"We found a card with this information on it in the belongings of a mutant brought in for medical treatment." Adam sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "I don't know if she's one of yours. The IDs don't match."

Jarod's head tilted to one side. "Mutant? None of mine are mutants as far as I know. I though you dealt exclusively with the products of Genomex's genetic programs - new mutants, I think you called them?"

"Good memory. Mostly that's true, but this woman is an empath who came to the attention of one of my team. She's not in any of our databases, at least not under the name she's currently using." Adam scratched his head and frowned. "Would your Roslin have any reason to be working for Genomex?"

Jarod worked his keyboard. "Give me a minute to check the contracts, Adam, but I'm sure I would've contacted you if I had anyone working in your area."

He glanced at another screen. Turning back, Jarod shook his head slightly. "We don't have any current contracts involving Genomex. Roslin is a freelancer though. She gets a lot of her assignments from us, but she works her own contracts too."

Jarod's attention flicked back to the other screen before he continued. "I don't show her on active payroll right now, so she may be on a job of her own."

Adam rubbed a hand over his jaw. "More questions. I was hoping for some answers when Brennan told me about the card."

"If you find out how your mutant got that card, let me know. Roslin's never been in the habit of losing them."

Adam nodded with a sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I'll get back in touch when I have some answers for both us, Jarod."

The other man nodded and shut down his end of the connection. Adam stared sightlessly at the static-filled screen for several minutes before shutting his system down. He stared at the blank screen for even longer, thinking and trying to put the pieces together. The bits and pieces of information he had just weren't making sense. No matter how he tried to parse them, they just weren't coming together.

Eventually outside sounds filtered through Adam's concentration. He blinked a few times and looked at his watch. Eyebrows rose at the time. The sounds he was hearing were probably Brennan and Shalimar returning. After a moment, he stood up and headed out to the lab to join the rest of the team.

* * *

Brennan pushed away from the counter as Adam came back to the lab. I kept my attention on my screen, hoping Adam's arrival would break the silent tension that had been building.

"We were able to get her car. Shal's going through it now." I could hear Bren pacing, and I turned my chair around in time to see him run a hand through his hair.

"I don't understand why any of you think its a good idea to have her here." My teammate gestured at Rose as he turned to face me square on. His expression was a mixture of honest concern and puzzlement. "Jess, she played you. I'd bet even money that part of her job was to get close to one of us."

If Bren had brought Rose in, he'd expect all of us to accept his judgment, but as usual, he was questioning mine. No matter that I was right more often than he was. I couldn't keep the anger out of my voice, though I did at least manage to keep my volume down to a conversational level. "You don't know Rose, Brennan. You've never even met her!"

"Jess!" Exasperation was clear now in Bren's voice and face. "She's a GS agent and she gave you a false ID. I'd say you don't know her either."

I lost control of my temper, finding myself on my feet with a hot reply on my lips. A deep breath and a measure of common sense brought me back to my senses and allowed me to sit back down. I deliberately turned back to my searches, ignoring the rest of the room, or trying to.

"Enough, Bren. Out of the lab, now!" Emma's voice is normally soft and soothing, but this time I think she startled all of us. There was command and anger in it. This didn't happen often, but when Emma sounds like that, it's best to do what she says willingly, because you're doing to end up doing it anyway.

"No matter what you think of Rose, she's a patient, Brennan. Anger has no place here right now." There was a long moment of silence and I could picture Emma's blue-green eyes holding Brennan's attention. "Regardless of what else she may be, she's an empath and you've undone all the work I've done with her since we got back."

Silence again and then I heard Brennan huff out a breath in exasperation. Another minute and his footsteps retreated. I relaxed just a bit when I heard the lab door slide shut.

From what I'd heard, Adam had been content to observe the situation. Now I heard him shift from where he'd been leaning against the wall and there was a bit of amusement in his voice behind the question. "A bit rough on him, weren't you, Emma?"

"Not really. He really did undo all the work I'd done, Adam." Emma's voice was tinged with pain and weariness. "She still wasn't ready to wake up, but she was coming closer. Now, " my friend sighed and the defeat I head in her voice, along with her words, made my shoulders sag just a bit. "Now I can't reach her at all."

Adam's inhalation was audible even to me. "Then we take the decision out of her hands."

The sounds of things being moved around, along with my curiosity, were enough to get me to turn around as Adam spoke again. "Emma, I need you to stay for a few more minutes, just until we know how she's going to react. Then you can go get some rest."

Emma nodded, and I watched as Adam loaded an injector with what I guessed was stimulant of some sort. "Jess, come on over here. A familiar presence will make her less likely to panic."

I took a deep breath and pushed myself to my feet to join him. After a look at Rose, I turned my attention to my mentor, watching his expression carefully. "Adam, is this a good idea?"

Adam didn't answer me right away, taking a minute to double check the injector and it's contents. "It won't hurt her, Jess, and we need some answers. We need to establish some level of trust and we can't do that while she's unconscious."

I didn't really have to consider what he'd said. Adam was being honest, and he was right. And I knew I would feel better seeing Rose awake, even if just for a bit. I nodded and pulled a chair next to the bio-bed, settling in to wait as Adam injected the stimulant into Rose's arm.

I'm a better judge of character than most. I know it, even if my friends sometimes doubt my judgment. I knew, despite the secrets and lies, the Rose I'd come to know was the real woman. Unfortunately, I had so many questions for her, I was starting to doubt my own judgment and that wasn't going to help matters. It might even scare Rose more, so I took a deep breath and tried to submerge my doubts for now so that she wouldn't pick up on them.

After a minute or two, I felt Emma behind me and my efforts became easier. I knew it was Emma's doing and I turned my head to give her a slight smile. I would thank her later, but it was enough to show my appreciation for now.

Even with the stimulant, it took awhile for Rose to wake up. By the time she started moving a bit, even I was getting antsy. Her eyes were still closed but as she turned her head, I caught a glimpse of the visual cloak still affixed to her temple. "Adam, shouldn't we remove the cloak before she wakes up?"

And rubbed a hand over his jaw. "I know you trust her, Jess. I think your probably right to, but until we have some answers that make sense, we have to be careful. So, I'm sorry, but the cloak stays on for now."

I sighed and nodded. I was sure of Rose, but I understood Adam's point. Didn't make me happy about it, but I understood.

Emma laid a hand on my shoulder as we waited, watching Rose. It was then that I noticed Adam had used restraints on her. Anger flared and I inhaled sharply,, about to tell my mentor exactly what I was thinking. A soft squeeze to my shoulder seemed to jump start my brain and drain away the worst of the anger. Between the chance that Rose might panic when she woke up, and the cloak suppressing her vision, the restraints were a reasonable precaution to ensure that Rose didn't hurt herself by accident.

A quiet moan drew me from my thoughts in time to see Rose's eyelids fluttering. I glanced at Emma and Adam. I don't know what they were thinking, but I was hoping Rose wouldn't panic when she realized she couldn't see.

xxxxx

Rose had let herself drift close to the border of consciousness several times without crossing it. There was a feeling of safety she could sense, even in the darkness, but it was being broadcast by someone and that made her uneasy. Then another reason not to wake up appeared - anger, from more than one source. Rose dove back into the depths of the darkness until even her subconscious was barely able to register any feelings. She intended to stay there for a long time.

Suddenly there was a sharp tug on her consciousness. Rose fought against it but her body wasn't cooperating. Its drift toward consciousness sped up even as she fought it. Her mind, reluctant as it was, was dragged in the wake of her body. Physical pain seeped into her awareness as the connection between mind and body tightened, and still she fought it. She didn't want to wake up.

Rose felt and heard the moan that escaped her lips as the final connection between body and mind snapped into place. Her eyes snapped open, though she clenched her teeth on the scream that wanted to emerge, as the full brunt of the pain she'd been feeling hit all at once. After what seemed like forever, the physical pain subsided to a bearable level. Rose managed to unclench her jaw, blinking a few times. Only then did she realize she still saw only darkness. Instinctively, she froze.

xxxxx

It was obvious as Rose awoke that she hadn't really been feeling the pain of her injuries. As it registered, her jaw clenched and her entire body tensed up. I kept most of my attention on her face, hoping not to see signs of panic.

It took almost a full minute before Rose realized she couldn't see. She froze and first thing that I thought of was a hunted animal.

I exhaled slowly and glanced at Adam. My mentor nodded to me, letting me take the lead for the moment. I did my best to keep my voice low and soothing. "It's okay, Rose. You're safe."

Rose turned her head toward my voice, a myriad of emotions running across her face under the pain. Fear was predominant, but despair was a close second. She swallowed and when she finally spoke her words were slightly slurred. "Jesse? I ... I can't see."

"I know Rose," Emma's warmth behind me gave me the encouragement I needed to keep my voice soothing as I laid a hand on Rose's good arm. "It's temporary. Just take it easy."

Even through the clouding of the visual cloak, I could see the fear in her eyes and it hurt that I didn't know how to make it go away.

"I'm sorry, Jess." Rose's voice was close to a sob. I wasn't sure what she was apologizing for, and I wasn't certain she knew either. She tried to raise a hand but the restraints stopped her. She froze for a split second before relaxing into the support of the bio-bed. "I'm sorry." The repeated words were barely audible this time.

Emma's fingers tightened on my shoulder and I looked back at her. Whatever Rose was feeling, it was strong enough to get to Emma. Adam caught my partner's eye and nodded toward the door. She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath, and probably arguing with herself, before leaving the lab as quietly as she could.

As the lab door slid shut behind Emma, Rose shivered. The tremor continued into a barely visible trembling and it was easy to see Rose was fighting to keep her fear from her expression.

"It's okay, Rose. That was just Emma. She had to leave." It was getting harder to keep my voice calm. Rose was becoming more scared rather than less and I wanted to hit something.

"Who..." Rose swallowed, visibly trying to calm herself. "Who else is here?"

"It's just me and Adam. You're safe, no one's going to hurt you." I tried to put as much reassurance into my voice as I could. It seemed to help a little bit. Rose took a deep breath, wincing slightly, then laid still. At least for the moment, she appeared to have a handle on her fear.

"Rose, I know you're afraid. Please, trust me. Everything's going to be okay." I paused glancing from her to Adam and back again. "I'm going to leave you alone for a minute or two, okay?"

It was long minute before she nodded slightly. I looked at Adam and motioned him to the far side of the lab where Rose would be less likely to hear us.

"What is it, Jess?" Adam's voice was low. Obviously, I didn't have to tell him I didn't want Rose overhearing our discussion.

"She's terrified, Adam. Enough for it to get to Emma." I paced, unable to meet my mentor's eyes. "We've blinded and restrained her. She's going to lose it and panic if we're not careful."

Adam sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, a sign he wasn't happy with the situation. "We can't release her, Jess. Nothing we know about her has turned out to be completely true."

He turned to study our guest for a moment and his expression held a hint of sadness. "At the moment, we can't trust her, and she doesn't trust us."

"Okay, okay..." I caught myself fingering my ear as I paced and I dropped my hands to my side as I thought. "Let me think for a minute."

My mentor had a point. Rose didn't trust us - not as a group. Even her trust in me wasn't that strong. I knew, despite the things she'd hidden from us, that Rose could be trusted in the important things. Call it a hunch, call it instinct, but I knew it. Unfortunately, Adam and the others didn't know her the way I did.

"If I can get her to give us her real name, will you give her something for the pain and get that bullet out?"

Adam looked at me strangely for a long moment. I realized just how stressed I was that I could even consider that my mentor would withhold medical treatment from anyone. I ran a hand through my hair and started to apologize, but he spoke up first, understanding in his voice. "If you can get some truth out of her, Jess, the visual cloak can come off. The restraints will have to wait until I'm sure she won't inadvertently hurt herself."

He laid a hand on my shoulder and gave me a half-smile that I managed to return tightly. It wasn't a lot, but it was enough to tell me he understood what had caused the accusation.

"Thanks Adam," I tried to put my gratitude for his understanding into my voice, "just give me a few minutes with her."

Adam nodded and crossed to the nearest computer station, pulling up Rose's latest scans and studying them. I made my way way back to Rose and laid a hand on her uninjured shoulder. As soon as I did, I cursed. Rose's eyes flew open and she jerked away from me. Whatever calmness she had managed to achieve had been broken by my touch.

"It's okay Rose, it's just me. Sorry I startled you." I managed,barely, to keep my voice low as I waited for a long moment until she relaxed a minute amount. I had a feeling the questions I was about to ask were only going to cause Rose more fear and pain - at least in the short run.

"I know Rose Briggs isn't your real name." I had to look away from Rose before I could continue. I was having trouble keeping my anxiety out of my voice. The best I could do was to keep my concern for Rose and my trust in her at the front of my mind, hoping her empathic ability would pick it up. "Shal and Brennan found your stash of IDs. What's your real name, Rose? Who are you really?"

Rose's expression went blank, a mask I couldn't read. I wanted to reassure her, but I didn't know how she would react. Finally Rose took a deep breath and closed her eyes. When she spoke, her voice was defeated and held a trace of something I couldn't identify. "The name I was born with is Roslin Britton, Jesse. But you won't find anything later than 2nd grade."

It seemed that was all she was going to say. Rose, or Roslin, turned her head away from me, wincing a bit as she jostled her wounded shoulder.

I sighed and caught Adam's eye. He was already moving to administer a pain reliever. "Rose," while she'd given me her real name, I had a feeling she'd be more comfortable with the name I'd already known her by - at least for now. "Adam's giving you something for the pain. Try to rest. I promise, things will get better."

Her only response was a tired nod and I let myself collapse into a nearby chair, running both hands through my hair. As the drug hit her system, all the tension seemed to flow out of her body, making it apparent just how much she had been hurting. She slipped into sleep as Adam checked her scans again. I watched as he sent some information to the computer in his office. Then he left the lab and I was left alone to watch our guest sleep.


	13. Moving Slowly

Adam was already punching in codes as he slid in to his chair. By the time he'd settled himself and adjusted the screen, the computer had made the connection. This time the recipient looked at the screen before speaking. "Adam. I had a feeling it might be you. What've you got?"

"Jarod," Adam nodded slightly, giving the other man a tight half-smile. "What's your Roslin's last name?"

Jarod lifted a brow with a wry smile. "Which one, Adam? She's a Pretender."

Adam couldn't help but roll his eyes slightly. "The original. The one she had when she was brought to the Centre."

"So serious, Adam." Jarod hit a few keys and glanced at another screen briefly. "Her real name is Roslin Britton. You won't find much under that name though."

As the other man spoke, Adam was typing and studying the results of his query. Finally, he looked back at Jarod, meeting the other man's eyes for the first time in the conversation. "She may be one of yours, but she's one of mine now too. Someone's definitely been messing with her DNA."

Jarod frowned, dark eyes narrowing slightly. "The mutant you mentioned when you called earlier?"

It was Jarod's turn to query his computer and he studied the results for several minutes. "There's no record of Roslin or her family having any contact with Genomex, Adam. And there's nothing in her files to indicate any unusual abilities, at least not for a Pretender."

"Her original mutation is natural, Jarod, not the result of tinkering. Tell me, what kind of simulations did Roslin excel at?"

Jarod studied the other man for a moment before turning his attention back to his screen. He typed for a few minutes, eyes flicking between screens. "It looks like her strength was in negotiation and predicting individual responses."

His gaze returned to Adam and he cocked his head to one side. "You said 'original' mutation. What was that? And what's happened since?"

Adam tapped steeped fingers against his chin as he scanned the test results he'd brought up. "Her natural mutation, and it is a mutation, is empathy. It makes sense that negotiation would be one of her strengths."

Adam's voice turned thoughtful as he turned his attention back to Jarod. "Someone has tinkered with her genetic structure within the past few years. If recent events are any indicator, she now has telepathic abilities as well."

Jarod rested his chin in one hand, tapping a query into the computer and reading the results. His expression grew thoughtful. "The last job Roslin got from us was over two years ago. We've offered a couple of contracts in the intervening time, but the notes say she was working on something of her own."

His brow creased in thought as he looked off-screen for a moment. "If Roslin noticed something odd or different happening to her, she would certainly look in to it, Adam."

A few more key taps and his brows lifted."Interesting. The last contact information we have for her is in your area."

Adam nodded, only part of his mind registering Jarod's words. The pieces were starting to come together but there were still a few loose ends. "We'll do what we can to help her out, Jarod."

"Thanks, Adam. Keep me in the loop, will you?"

Adam nodded and moved to cut the connection, but Jarod held up a hand. "Hold on a minute,Adam."

He spent a minute or two typing and a set of codes flashed on Adam's screen. "That code package is set for you. Use it next time you call. That way I'll know it's you."

Jarod flashed a crooked grin across the screen and Adam chuckled. "Thanks, Jarod."

It only took a moment or two for him to memorize the codes and shut the system down. Their guest's actions were beginning to make some sense but he didn't have time to work through it all right now. It was time to get back to the lab and take care of Rose's - Roslin's - medical issues.

* * *

Consciousness drifted back slowly. Her thoughts and body felt disconnected and responded only slowly to her direction. It took several minutes before she was even able to interpret the signals her body was sending her. Her right arm was strapped against her chest, her shoulder throbbing distantly. Vaguely, she could feel what might be other restraints, but somehow she wasn't surprised. The ache in her head distracted her from figuring out why.

She'd made her self-evaluation without opening her eyes, knowing somehow that opening them wouldn't make any difference. Finally though, some sort of action seemed called for, if only to let Jesse and his friends know she was awake.

It took more effort than she liked to pry her eyelids open. Unexpected light seared a path to the ache in her head, waking it with a vengeance. She let her eyes close again as a soft whimper escaped her lips.

A hand touched her forehead lightly and the pain subsided a bit. "Welcome back. Let me turn the lights down a bit."

The voice was female and she thought it should be familiar though at the moment she couldn't figure out why. The hand left her forehead, a sense of presence disappearing with it. After a moment, the presence and the voice returned. "There. I think you can open your eyes again without it hurting too much, Roslin."

Her eyes flew open at the sound of her real name but her mind was still working slowly and no words came.

"Adam told us your real name. It''s okay now." The red head's voice was soft and comforting and felt familiar. Even so, fear was filling the void between her thoughts and words spilled out before she could stop them. "And that bought my sight? What's it going to take for my freedom?"

Emma's lips thinned for a moment and she shook her head slightly. The fear radiating from the injured woman told her that Roslin hadn't really meant what she'd said. it was the fear speaking, but they needed Roslin thinking rationally, so Emma needed to do something about that fear.

"It's not like that, Roslin. Adam didn't want you to hurt yourself while you were out. That's all. Now that you're awake, we can take the restraints off." Emma suited actions to words even though Adam hadn't said anything of the sort. He hadn't told her not to, and right now, that was as good as permission in her book.

"Just lie still for a minute." Emma hit a switched and the head of the bio-bed rose slowly. She stopped it at the halfway point, noting the other woman had closed her eyes again.

"The governor is still active. Adam was concerned about deactivating and removing it while you were out."

Roslin nodded slightly without opening her eyes and turned her head away. Her expression was blank but Emma had no trouble sensing the fear and despair she was feeling. At best, Roslin half believed her, and the concussion wasn't helping. If Roslin didn't calm down, those feelings could become dangerous. There had to be some way to ease Roslin's anxiety. "Jesse wasn't lying. You're safe here."

That got a reaction, though not the one Emma was hoping for. Roslin's despair spiked. After a moment, Roslin opened her eyes and looked at Emma.. "Jess..." Roslin bit her lip and looked away, the despair bleeding into her voice. "Jesse hates me, doesn't he?"

Emma blinked, the question startling her. Her initial reaction was to wonder where Roslin had gotten the idea. It occurred to her that Jess was the only member of the team that Roslin actually knew. Combined with the feelings she was picking up, Emma realized Roslin thought Jesse had abandoned her when he found out she'd been hiding the truth from him. That was a misconception that needed corrected right now. "No! It's not like that at all. Jess was exhausted and Adam sent him to get some rest. He'd be here otherwise."

Roslin didn't meet her eyes, instead raising her left hand to her forehead, wincing as her fingers grazed the abraded lump where her head had met the pavement. She wasn't sure she believed the red-head, but she knew she wasn't up to searching for Jesse to find out. The other woman stepped closer and Roslin moved too quickly in response. She had to swallow hard against a rising nausea and bile in her throat.

It was only a mild concussion, but Emma could read the signs easily enough. She stepped away long enough to grab a couple of aspirin and a glass of water. Returning, she offered Roslin a smile and the aspirin, along with an introduction. "I'm Emma, by the way. I just realized we'd never actually been introduced."

Roslin nodded carefully as she took the tablets and put them in her mouth. Taking the glass, she swallowed its contents along with the pills. Emma was left with the rather unsettling impression that Roslin hoped it was just aspirin and water, but wasn't counting on it. She was simply accepting whatever they might be as partial penance for her deceptions.

Emma was beginning to get both frustrated and worried. Nothing seemed to be making a dent in Roslin's negative emotions. Short of forcing calm on the woman, or waking Jesse up, Emma could only think of one more thing that might reassure her. "Adam had Brennan and Shalimar bring in the teas you had at home. I'm sure it'd be okay for you to have some if it might help with the headache."

Roslin leaned her head forward slightly and rubbed the back of her neck, frowning briefly as she felt the governor. "Thanks, Emma, but the teas won't help right now."

The fear had faded slightly and Roslin's use of her name showed the other woman was starting to think instead of just react.. It was enough for now. "Try to rest. I'm sure Jess will be back as soon as he wakes up."

Roslin's nod was faint as she laid her head back and closed her eyes. She tried to relax, to just zone out, but now that she was awake, pain was making it difficult. And now that her mind was starting to work again, it seemed determined to remind her of all her mistakes. Recent events, she could understand. Events from years ago? Not so much. Oddly enough, the age of the events didn't affect the guilt that came with them.

Emma frowned at the emotions radiating from Roslin. They were self-destructive but at this point, the tele-empath didn't think there was anything she could do about them. Backing off to one of the computer stations, she sat down to think. After several minutes of staring at a blank computer screen, she realized Adam would probably want to know what was happening. She keyed her comlink to his frequency and quietly brought the older man up to speed.

* * *

I stopped at the kitchen for come coffee before heading for the lab. Adam had given me a sketchy background on Roslin and the Centre, though I had a feeling he'd left a lot out. He'd told me enough for me to know that I couldn't afford to be half-awake when I talked to her again. Somethings made more sense now, but I still couldn't make sense of the false identity. And despite Roslin being safe here in Sanctuary, I still felt like we were missing something - that whatever Roslin was running from was still out there and still a threat.

I thought at first that Roslin was asleep, but as I headed for one of the computers I caught a flash of green eyes just before she looked away. I diverted to the station closest to her and slid into the chair, spinning it to face her before saying anything. "How're you feeling, Roslin?"

"Been better." She turned her head toward me, but her gaze was somewhere around her feet. "I'm sorry, Jesse. I know it doesn't change anything, but I never meant to lie to you."

I let her have her say. I didn't need to be an empath to see she needed to say the words whether or not I needed to hear them. When she finished, I took a deep breath, thinking about what I wanted to say. I knew that some of it might hurt Roslin, at least in the short term, but it was better to get everything out of the way up front. "Actually, Roslin, I'm surprised you can keep your life straight."

She still wouldn't look at me and I sighed. "I know about the Centre, a bit at least. Adam recognized the card in your things and contacted someone he knows there."

Something I said, or something in my voice, caught Roslin's attention and her head and eyes jerked to me. As pain flooded her expression, I caught just a glimpse of surprise and confusion. Just as quickly, she dropped her head, raising her left hand to her temple.

I've had a concussion or two myself and knew how much that movement had to have hurt. I was on my feet and at her side almost before I thought. "Hey, hey. Not so fast."

I put a hand on her shoulder lightly and when she didn't flinch away, I took it as a good sign. Placing a hand under her chin, I gently lifted her head until I could see her face and eyes. I wanted her to see that I meant what I was saying. "Roslin, it's okay. I understand and I'm not angry with you. I just need to know if there's something else you're running from."

It seemed to take a long time before Roslin opened her eyes. She tried to avoid looking at me, but it was almost impossible. Whatever she saw in my face or read from me seemed to relax her. I released her chin, letting her lean back into the support of the bio-bed, nodding to myself. "Was the false identity just to get into Genomex or are you hiding from something or someone else? We can't help you if we don't know how to help."

Roslin's eyes closed again, her voice weary and resigned. "It was just to get into Genomex. I needed access to their research databases."

I settled back into my chair with a nod. "I think I already know why, but we'll talk about that later."

Letting her think for a bit, I ran a quick scan of her medical status. From the corner of the screen, the time caught my attention and I frowned as I did some mental math. "Think you could stomach something to eat, Roslin? You should be starving by now."

I could almost see her running through a mental and physical checklist before her eyes opened again. The corner of her mouth twitched upward just a bit before she answered and I took that as a good sign. "As long as I don't move too fast, I think I can keep something down."

* * *

It had been sometime in the middle of the night when Roslin woke up to find Emma keeping watch, early morning when Jesse showed up. Midday had come and gone and Roslin was still in the med-lab. Adam was still concerned about the concussion and the possible side effects of the governor.

Roslin wasn't going to complain. Despite the pain killers, she still hurt. And the governor could stay where it was as far as she was concerned. It didn't seem to affect her empathy, but at least she wasn't hearing other people's thoughts in her head. Emotions she knew how to handle and as the exhaustion and sick feeling started to fade, her control began to return.

It was late in the day by the time Jesse and Emma escorted her out of the lab and to guest room. Short as the walk was, it was enough to sap what little energy she had. It also intensified the throbbing of her head and shoulder, leaving Roslin more than eager for some quiet time to herself, hopefully with another dose of pain killers.

Emma helped her get settled as Jess disappeared, only to return a few minutes later with a dinner tray. Later Roslin couldn't remember later what it was, though she'd managed to eat it. Maybe because after she'd finished, Jesse had told her where the kitchen was, then handed her a couple of pain pills with a slight smile. He and Emma left quietly, leaving Roslin to her own devices.

Not that she was up to much, even thinking was difficult, the exhaustion and pain killers both encouraging her to sleep. Roslin laid down and tried to meditate, to rebuild her emotional walls, but her body and mind had other ideas.


	14. Small Surprises

When she awoke the next morning, Roslin felt capable of dealing with other people again, at least mentally and emotionally. The struggle to get dressed with only one working arm made her doubt if she was ready physically, especially as her head began to throb again.

A quick glance at the bedside table showed her that Jesse or someone had left a couple more pain killers for her. Gratefully, Roslin swallowed them down and gave them a few minutes to take effect.

She vaguely remembered Jesse telling her where the kitchen was and managed to find it without too much trouble. Once there, Roslin had to lean against the counter for a moment, resting, but it gave her time to figure out just how she was going to accomplish her current goal.

Damn the GS agent who'd shot her! Why couldn't he have hit her left shoulder instead? The nearly full coffeepot was a problem. A quick look through the cabinets showed her the mugs on one of the upper shelves. Not easy, but she did manage to snag one without dropping it. And then she was left contemplating the coffee pot again.

"Need a hand?"

xxxxx

My favorite computer station is behind the kitchen and I had spent the morning keeping an ear out. I figured Roslin's first stop would be for some coffee, so when I heard someone rummaging through the cabinets, I locked the computer and headed into the kitchen area.

I leaned against a wall, watching Roslin. I was curious as to whether she'd try to manage on her own or if she'd give and look for help. After watching her stare at the coffeepot for several minutes, I took pity on her. It might have been because I'm not much good myself before I've had my coffee, or maybe because I knew that asking for help was something Roslin wasn't used to doing.

"Need a hand?" I tried to keep my voice gentle so I didn't startle Roslin, and I seemed successful. My lips curled in a smile as Roslin turned around and saw me.

Pushing away from the wall. I joined her at the counter, not waiting for an answer. Snagging the coffeepot, I filled her mug, leaving enough room for a generous amount of cream. Sliding the pot back onto the warmer, I handed Roslin the mug. "I made this pot, so you'll probably want cream and sugar."

I had to chuckle a little and shrugged - I'm not really supposed to make the coffee according to the rest of the team, but no one else was up.

"I'm just on the other side of the wall. I got Brennan to grab your hard drive and laptop, so if you feel up to come computer work, all your data is here."

Roslin rested the mug on the counter, her eyes widening a bit in surprise at my words. Obviously she hadn't been expecting access to her own data. After a moment, she managed a quiet thank you. I left her to gather her thoughts, but I didn't miss the grimace when she took a sip of the coffee. I managed to make it back to my station before the chuckle escaped.

My original plan had been to let Roslin use my station, but I realized that wouldn't work. The reclining chair wasn't workable with her arm in a sling. There was another computer set up - it was a makeshift station I'd put together to upgrade the computer. It wasn't ideal, but it was workable. I'd just fired it up and pulled a chair closer when Roslin came around the corner.

She looked a bit shaky, not surprising after all she'd been through, really, and my first instinct was to take her mug from her until she was settled. Instead I took a deep breath and nodded toward the chair. "Give me a sec. I forgot about your shoulder, so I need to rearrange a few things."

I waited until she was seated, then ran several tests on the computer. When the last one finished, I went back to my station and disconnected and external drive. The casing was mine - the drive itself was from Roslin's desktop. I connected it to the computer and verified it was reading properly before motioning Roslin over. Snagging her mug from her, I set it next to the computer and pulled the chair over, motioning for her to sit down.

"You've got limited access to Sanctuary's system for now, but you do have net access, so if you want to work on some of your web design stuff, you can. Brennan grabbed your hard drive - that's the external drive I just connected. It'll boot up as a virtual terminal, similar to a VPN, so you have access to all the stuff you're used to working with."

I was paying more attention to Roslin than the computer and her expression was enough to tell me she hadn't expected anything more than limited access at best. To give her a few minutes, I pulled the keyboard closer and pointed out some of the specialized function keys, then explained how to log into Sanctuary's system.

"I ran a scan on the drive overnight. Didn't look at the data, and to be honest, knowing you, I was pretty sure I wasn't going to find any viruses or anything anyway. I'm doing the same with your laptop. As soon as its done, I'll get it back to you."

"Thank you." I was standing right next to her but I barely heard the words, Roslin had spoken so quietly. I just smiled and nodded, leaving her to learn the system.

I settled back into my station, but I couldn't keep my mind on what I'd been working on. I'd never seen Roslin work, but between her previous job as a technical researcher and the websites she'd designed, I knew she was better than average with a computer. That made it almost painful to see how slowly she was working one-handed.

I was staring at my screen, thinking, when I heard her sigh. A quick glance showed that Roslin had stopped typing and was trying to figure out how to ease her arm out of the sling. Shaking my head, I got up. She was so intent on what she was doing that she didn't notice my approach.

"Uh-uh, Roslin."

I rested my hand lightly on her arm with a slight smile. Reaching around her with my left arm, I snagged the keyboard and pulled it closer. I freed up enough of the cord to set it in her lap, then slid her mug to where she could easily reach it. I tapped the clear half-sphere on the left side of the keyboard and finally let myself grin though I was kicking myself for not having pointed it out before.

"This is something between a touch pad and mouse. Have fun and give me a yell if you need anything."

After that, I was able to settle back into my work and apparently Roslin was too. It wasn't until my stomach growled that I realized how much time had passed. It was about lunch time. A quick glance at Roslin showed me an interesting mix on intense concentration and frustration on her face. Seemed Roslin got into her work the same way I did, but it was time for a break before the frustration won out over the concentration. Besides, I was hungry and I knew Roslin hadn't eaten.

I stood up and stretched before tapping Roslin's good shoulder. Even though I hadn't made any effort to be quiet, she still jumped slightly.

"Come on Roslin, time for a food break."

She started to protest, but I took the keyboard from her and set it out of reach with a shake of my head. Then I held out my hand and waited for her to take it. A moment or two of glaring at me seemed to drain most of Roslin's annoyance, though I did think for a minute that she was going to ignore my silent assistance. Finally she took my hand and I helped her stand up. I held on a for an extra few seconds, making sure she had her balance.

"Told you before, I'm stubborn and I don't like to eat alone."

I flashed my most charming grin at her and bowed over her hand, hoping to counter the remaining annoyance. "Besides, I know you didn't eat this morning and your brain needs some fuel."

She wanted to be upset with me, I could see that much in Roslin's expression. It was as much a result of her frustration as of the appetite she didn't yet realize she had. The painkillers Adam had her on tended to kill the hunger signals as well as the pain, and Adam had tasked me with making sure Roslin ate. It made sense since my metabolism made sure I rarely missed a meal. So I did my best to diffuse her mood and Roslin's natural tendency to adapt helped.

We were both quiet until we got on the outside of a few slices of pizza and even then, we didn't talk much. The silence was a comfortable one though, at least at first. After a while, Roslin began to fidget a bit, but I was waiting for Emma to show up. Adam wanted her to work with Roslin this afternoon.

xxxxx

Roslin knew Jesse was waiting for something or someone. He'd been as intent on his work as she had been, at least once he got settled. Now he was seemingly in no hurry to get back to it. When Emma appeared, Roslin had her answer and she heaved a soft sigh.

It wasn't that she didn't like the other empath. She did. The other woman probably understood her better than anyone else, except possibly Jesse. But the tele-empath was also the one person she would have to keep her mental walls highest with because of their shared ability. Right now, Roslin would rather bury herself in code than deal with her emotions and the control of her ability - or abilities, as the case might be.

"Hey," Emma's voice was quiet but friendly as she hitched a hip up on the counter and set the kettle on a burner. The smile Jesse flashed his teammate was definitely conspiratorial. He left the kitchen without a word.

Roslin rubbed her temple and gave the other woman a frank look. Emma shrugged and smiled crookedly. "Yeah, we planned this. Adam wanted me to work with you. See if we can't get your empathy under better control before that governor comes out."

Roslin nodded, watching silently as Emma finished making her tea. Emma respected the silence for several minutes before pushing off the counter, mug in hand. Roslin sighed softly and stood up.

"Lead the way, Emma. I can't say it wouldn't be nice to have my head to myself like I used to."

"Okay," Emma's voice was determinedly cheerful as they walked. "You do pretty good at not projecting, so today we're just going to work on keeping others' feelings out of your head unless you want to feel them."

Roslin tried to pay attention to her surroundings as they walked, but she wasn't having much success. Now that she wasn't in work mode, Roslin was noticing the various aches and pains the past couple of days had gifted her with. The path they took was manageable, but the details and the impressions and clues they might have given her went by in little more than a blur. Down one level and one left turn and then Emma was opening a door and ushering her through.

The room they entered was decorated in soft but vibrant colors. The furniture was sparse, but comfortable looking. If a place could be peaceful and energetic at the same time, this room was. All the emotional background "noise" Roslin was used to hearing seemed to fade away.

"This room is shielded, like my bedroom and the med-lab. Jesse's working on setting up the same thing for your room."

Emma gestured her further into the room. "Have a seat anywhere that's comfortable."

Emma suited her actions to her words, moving into the room and sinking cross-legged to the floor. Roslin considered doing the same, but opted for a chair instead. Between residual stiffness and the immobile arm, getting up off the ground would be difficult at best.

When she looked at the red-head again, Emma had set her mug aside and was lighting some incense before slipping it into a holder. The other woman smiled gently. "White noise or music?"

Roslin closed her eyes, getting a feel for the space and thinking for a moment. "White noise, I think. I'm used to some background noise, but not usually music."

Emma nodded and raised her voice slightly, "Sanctuary, dim lights, play white noise."

The lights instantly dimmed to a level about the same as candles would provide. The background of white noise was barely noticeable but it effectively canceled out any extraneous sound, making the space feel more secure and comfortable.

Emma's voice softened, keeping in sync with the feel of the room, as she continued. "I want you to close your eyes, Roslin. Concentrate on feeling your breath and separating out you from everything else."

The look Roslin flashed the other woman showed clearly she thought this exercise was pointless. After a moment, she sighed and closed her eyes, focusing on her breathing. As she did, she noted the aches and pains, stiffness and her general physical condition. As she cataloged each item, Roslin found herself better able to ignore them and settle more comfortably. Oddly enough, that allowed her to tell which emotions and feelings were actually hers. That was most of them, since Emma had apparently shielded herself to keep from projecting her own feelings.

Emma hadn't shielded herself from receiving though, which became apparent when she spoke. "Good. Can you sense your personal boundaries now?"

Roslin thought for a moment and then nodded, eyes still closed.

"Within your boundaries, there's a place where your personal energy originates. That's your center. It's a safe place against other people's emotions."

It took awhile for Roslin to sort the different energies out, but eventually she found a sort of core of energy. Mentally examining it, Roslin realized it was also a source, albeit limited, of energy. It sat, or would have, about where her solar plexus was in her physical body. Emma seemed to sense that she had found it and gave her some time to become comfortable with it.

After awhile - there was really no way to tell how long - the tele-empath spoke again. "Okay, let it go and come slowly back to normal wakefulness."

Finding her center and 'sitting' in it had given Roslin a sense of peace she'd never experienced before. She didn't want to let that go and come back to the real world with all its problems and complications. A vague headache was starting to make itself felt, so she did as Emma said, though she only let her conscious return to normal slowly. The headache hit as she opened her eyes, and Roslin dropped her head to rest in her good hand.

"Headache?" Emma's voice was soft and gentle, as was the hand on Roslin's shoulder. "You worked your ability. Would one of your teas help?"

Roslin nodded slightly, raising her head and accepting Emma's assistance to stand up.

"Then let's go get you some, along with your painkillers. Then you can get some rest. I'm sure you're tired."

Slowly, they made their way upstairs, Emma gesturing her to one of the chairs at the table before putting the kettle on a burner. Under normal circumstances, it would have irritated Roslin, but at the moment both her head and shoulder were complaining rather loudly, so she was happy enough to sit still. She didn't raise her head until Emma slid the mug in front of her. Roslin blew across the top of the tea to cool it a bit before downing it as quickly as she could. The wince as she set the mug back down was as much for the scorching she'd just given her mouth as for the taste. Emma gave her a sympathetic look.

"That bad, huh? Why don't you head back to your room before it hits. You should be able to get there before anyone catches you."

Roslin nodded slightly, offering the other woman a small, tired, but genuine smile as she pushed herself awkwardly to her feet. Once in the solitude of her own room, Roslin downed her painkillers and laid down. She didn't think she could fall asleep, but she could still get some rest.


	15. Growing Tensions

I stayed out of sight until Roslin left, only then stepping into the kitchen and leaning against the wall, arms crossed. "So?"

"Knew you were there." Emma finished pouring hot water into her mug before turning to face me with a slight smile. "Don't think she was up to noticing though. She'll get a handle on it pretty quickly, I think, though with her abilities mutating, it probably won't be as effective as we'd like."

She looked at the liquid in her mug for a second.

"At least she seems to be starting to trust me a little."

"Good."

Pushing away from the wall, I headed for the coffeemaker. I detoured slightly, just long enough to drop a quick kiss on my teammate's cheek. I knew Emma was seeing a lot of the same things in Roslin that I had, and since Roslin was an empath too, Emma would be even more in "tune" with her than most people.

"I think she's been on her own for way too long. I wish she'd realize its okay to ask for help, but she doesn't really trust anyone enough to ask." I sighed and poured myself a fresh cup of coffee.

Emma nodded in agreement. "When she lets her guard down a bit I get loneliness from her. I got the general impression that she's not used to having someone to back her up. I'm not sure she even knows how to deal with having someone she can trust when things get tough."

I turned and leaned against the counter, cradling my mug in both hands. "That fits with what little I know about her and her past. I don't know of any friends in the last two years at least. And she wasn't interested in getting to know the other employees at Genomex."

I took a drink and thought back to when I'd been in Roslin's house. It had struck me as wrong at the time - very little personal touch, no indication of visitors or friends. And I'd done some research on the Centre and its history in the last day or so. I didn't know if what I'd uncovered was the same as what Roslin had experienced, but if it was ... well, difficulty trusting other people would be understandable.

"She's learning, Jess," Emma's voice broke into my thoughts, bringing me back to the present. "She trusts you and she's starting to trust Adam and me. It's just coming slow for her. I think she wants to trust us, but her past tells her it's not safe."

I caught myself fingering my earlobe and dropped my hand to the counter. "You wouldn't know she has trust issues to see her in a public place, Emma. I swear she blends in perfectly no matter where she is, and she does it without even seeming to try."

Emma sipped her tea, tilting her head to one side as she thought. Her next words came out a bit slowly and it was pretty obvious that she was thinking as she spoke. "She's adaptable. But if that's the case, she should be able to fit in here. There are only five of us and we're rarely all around at the same time. I'd think that would be easy to adapt too, but I get the feeling she's uncomfortable."

She had a good point and I raised my mug, taking a drink as I thought. The circumstances combined with Roslin's trust issues were probably a good part of the problem, but not all of it.

"I think it may be because we're all so different. There's no way for her to know yet what 'expected' behavior is. Hell, she hasn't even spent any time with Bren and Shal yet."

I almost spilled my coffee as I gestured and I gave Emma a wry smile. "Probably a good thing actually, since they're both still a little ticked off about her being here."

I couldn't help frowning and I swallowed down about half my coffee to hide it before setting my mug on the counter. I couldn't keep all the frustration out of my voice when I continued. "It's not like she had any choice in the matter, ad Adam agrees I did the right thing, but..." I let my voice trail off, not sure of what I really wanted to say.

Emma leaned against the table and sipped her tea, hands cupped around her mug. "Adam says we can trust her and so do you. And I haven't known your judgment to be off when you listened to it. Give the others some time. It's not like they've had a chance to get to know her yet. That will counter the fact that she was working for the GSA. It would help if she'd open up a bit too, but I don't see that happening."

"Can't argue with you there, Emma." I ran a hand through my hair with a sigh, frustrated and a bit annoyed. "I can't share what I know without breaking her confidence and I'm not even sure she realizes how much I do know. I'm certain that Adam knows more than I do too."

There was silence for a while as we both turned to our own thoughts. It was Adam's arrival in the kitchen that brought our attention back to the here and now. He looked at both of us for a couple of minutes before speaking. "Is there a problem, you two?"

Obviously neither one of us had managed to keep our concerns from our expressions. Both of us shook our heads, but Emma didn't seem inclined to answer, so I did. "Nothing you don't already know about, Adam. What's up?"

"Where's Roslin?' His voice was brisk, giving no indication why he was asking.

This time Emma answered. "She's resting. I worked with her after lunch and she's worn out."

My mentor nodded, seeming satisfied. "Good. Jess, get everyone together. I want to talk to you guys while she's resting."

I felt my eyebrows rise in surprise, but I knew asking Adam what this was about would be pointless. He wasn't going to tell me anything until the others were here. I stepped to the side, activating my comlink. "Brennan, Shal? Adam wants you in the kitchen, now."

Once they'd both responded, I took the opportunity to refill my mug. I considered asking anyway but slid around the table and took a seat instead. Emma had already claimed a place and her eyes had that distant look that meant she was thinking pretty hard about something. I set my mug down, resting my elbows on either side of it and studying Adam, but he wasn't giving anything away. After a minute or two, I folded my hands and rested my chin on them to wait.

* * *

Juliana Nolan was in a foul mood. Project 215 was getting further behind schedule, all because of one missing subject. A subject she had a personal reason for wanting retrieved. It shouldn't be as difficult as her people were making it out to be.

The office door opened. Paragon's head of security was ushered in, the door closing quietly behind him. She circled around her desk, taking a seat before acknowledging him with a nod."

"Ms. Nolan, we have a lead on Subject 2547. As you know, shortly after the experiment was initiated, the subject changed her identity. We have identified the name she's using and are following up on it now. She's living and working under the name 'Rose Briggs'."

A faint smile touched Juliana's lips. It seemed her day was improving.

"I want her brought in as soon as possible. Get as much information on her work and home as you can in the process."

The man nodded and left her office as Juliana swiveled her chair to face the windows. Yes, her day was certainly looking brighter.

* * *

Someone else wasn't pleased with the current turn of events. The top GS agents were standing in front of his desk, trying hard not to look as uncomfortable as they felt. Mason Eckhardt, however, was giving free rein to his feelings.

"It's bad enough that someone inside Genomex was providing Mutant X with warnings about our raids. And somehow, a person using a false identity managed to get themselves hired here.""

The head of the GSA stopped his pacing long enough to spear each of his subordinates with a furious look.

"Worse than either of those is that the GSA security branch failed to identify Ms. Briggs as a New Mutant during the hiring process!"

Eckhardt stopped in front of his desk, turning to face the men straight on.

"Tell me, gentlemen, exactly how that was allowed to happen?"

All of the men looked at the floor, unwilling to meet their employer's eyes. None of them offered any words, already knowing that no explanation would be acceptable.

"No excuses? Well, at least you know when to keep your mouths shut. That's something. Now let's see if you can actually do your jobs for a change. Find Ms. Briggs. Bring her in. Immediately."

Mason Eckhardt gave the men one last look before turning to face the window behind his desk. He let the view of the stasis generator and the pods surrounding it sooth him as the others left his office.

* * *

Adam kept his expression bland, though it was difficult. The tension in Sanctuary was higher than it should be for only six people. It was bordering on uncomfortable and he could only guess at the impact it was having on Emma and their guest. Hopefully this little meeting would help dispel some of the tension and make things a little more comfortable for everyone.

It didn't take long for Brennan and Shalimar to arrive, both obviously curious. Adam motioned them to the table. "Have a seat guys. We need to talk about Roslin."

Even as Jesse nodded slightly, chin still resting on his hands, Brennan bristled, obviously wanting to express his opinion. Adam caught his eye and shook his head slightly, causing the tall elemental to settle sullenly into a seat instead. Both female team members appeared curious - Emma only mildly, Shal more so. Then again, that was to be expected. Feline curiosity had more than enough time to grow over the past two days.

Adam waited until they were all seated before sitting down himself. Dark brown eyes swept the table, weighing and judging expressions and body language before he spoke."I know, with the exception of Jess, you all are wondering why I insisted Roslin stay here. Between being a GS agent and the false identities, it's a valid concern. The first thing you need to know is that Roslin didn't 'want' to work for the GSA."

The older man's gaze swept the table again before he sighed and stared at his folded hands for a long moment.

"Roslin isn't, or more accurately, wasn't, a new mutant. Her empathic abilities are the result of a perfectly natural mutation. Her telepathy, on the other hand, is not. Someone, and it wasn't Genomex, has been messing with her genetic structure and it's given her all the markers of new mutancy." He paused, inhaling slowly before continuing. "Including the genetic instability and unexpected and uncontrolled changes in both her abilities."

Jesse had leaned back in his chair, no surprise in his expression. Emma didn't seem that surprised either. Shalimar looked furious, not really surprising considering her feelings on Genomex's DNA experiments. That the alterations had been done without Roslin's knowledge just infuriated the feral even more.

Brennan's reaction was the most curious, and if he was being honest, the one Adam was most concerned with. The elemental's background made him far less trusting than the others and far less likely to accept facts without proof. His expression was a mix of curiosity and disbelief, which was better than Adam had hoped for, but his words proved the disbelief was currently winning.

"Come on, Adam! Even if that's true, we're supposed to believe she didn't volunteer for the tinkering? That she just got hired on at Genomex to find out what they did to her?"

Adam just nodded, not reacting to Brennan's tone. "That's exactly what you should believe, Brennan, since its' the truth."

"Adam, it doesn't take almost two years to find out about Genomex's experiments! And it certainly doesn't require becoming a GS agent!" Brennan's voice was rising and he was staring at Adam with something akin to incredulity.

Adam was unphased, if a bit impatient, at Brennan's outburst, but he shot a look at Jesse before responding. He knew the molecular all too well, and sure enough, Jess was getting angry.

Jess caught Adam's look and his jaw tightened. Adam waited until the younger man gave him a small, jerky nod.

"It does if you don't have our resources, Brennan. And if Genomex wasn't the source of the experiments in the first place."

Adam paused, rubbing a hand over his jaw as he ordered his next words. "Roslin was hired as a technical researcher. The advancement to GS agent came after she met Jess. She didn't have much choice in the matter unless she wanted Eckhardt to find out who and what she was. Jess and I were able to get into her files and I have to admit, I'm impressed by the fine line she walked in her reports to him. She managed to mostly tell the truth without giving away any useful information. And Brennan," he finally met Brennan's now confused gaze, "She's the one who warned us about the raids."

Brennan started to reply, but sat back and stared at the older man instead. His dark eyes were calculating and after a moment he nodded to himself.

"There's more, isn't there? You know something you're not telling us, Adam." His gaze flickered to Jesse, taking in the molecular's posture and expression. "I'd bet that Jess already knows some, if not all, of it too."

Jesse just stared at Brennan, face blank. Adam sighed and ran both hands through his hair. He grimaced as fingers encountered a few tangles.

"All right, Brennan, all right." Adam took a breath and lowered his voice slightly. "Yes, there is more I haven't told you, and Jess does know some of it. But neither of us is at liberty to share that information right now. It affects more people than just Roslin and us."

A quick glance around the table showed Adam that things were probably going to remain calm. Jess was wearing his blank, business expression, which meant he was unhappy with the situation but wasn't going to say or do anything. Both women were actively curious, but willing to wait. They seemed to be waiting to see what Brennan's reaction was going to be. He was making it clear that he didn't like the way things stood, but it appeared he was going to accept it for the moment.

"I can tell you that I was able to verify her identity with a source I trust implicitly and that she had no intention of actually helping Eckhardt."

Brennan grumbled under his breath, drumming his fingers on the table and eliciting a half-laugh from Adam. "You and Roslin should get along just fine, Brennan. She's about as trusting as you are."

The older man stood up, leaning against the table.

"All I'm asking, for now, is that you give her a chance. Forget where she worked. Give her the same chance you'd give any new mutant who was trying to figure out what was going on."

Nods, Brennan's still reluctant, answered him. He ran his thumb over his chin, smiling gratefully and nodded back. "Thank you. I'll let you all get back to what you were doing."


	16. Pressure Valve

I was almost seeing red by the time Adam let us go. Brennan's attitude infuriated me. It was all I could do to keep my expression blank but Emma felt it. I could tell by the way she looked at me.

Brennan had already disappeared. I think Shal and Emma were just sticking around to see if I was okay and that just added to my temper. I glanced at both of them and did my best to keep my voice level.

"I'm going down to the dojo."

I didn't look at the girls again or even wait for a response. I detoured to my room long enough to change clothes and then made my way down to the dojo. As I walked, all the fears, worries, and concerns I'd been dealing with seemed to coalesce with my anger. By the time I reached my destination I could barely see straight.

My first instinct was to fire up the training simulations but a little corner of my mind warned me away from them. I was afraid the holographic opponents would start to look like my team mate. I wrapped my hands and started taking my anger and energy out on the punching bag instead. It was safer for everyone. Especially since it took a few minutes before my hands stopped trying to mass with each punch.

After a while, I fell into a rhythm. It was almost relaxing. At the very least it let me start to put my anger back into a little box where I could keep control over it. I was sweating freely and beginning to feel a bit tired when a voice echoed through the dojo, sparking my anger all over again. Not as badly, not enough to make me lose control, but I punched the bag harder, ignoring the new arrival. The bag steadied and still I ignored the tall figure standing behind it. The way things were going, I was going to work myself to exhaustion before I was suitable for civilized company.

"Jess."

I didn't let the voice register despite the obvious attempts to get my attention.

"Jess . . . bro. Come on, at least look at me!"

I took my eyes off the bag for a second or two, long enough for Brennan to know I'd heard him. I didn't let up on the bag though. The soreness in my hands and the build up of lactic acid in my muscles felt satisfying.

"Look, Jess, I know you're angry with me. I'm just trying to make sure we see all sides of the situation. You can't tell me you wouldn't be suspicious if you were in my shoes."

I threw a few more punches, then spin kicked the bag hard enough to make Brennan stumble back a few steps.

"Yeah, I would, but that's because I've seen your personal judgment in action."

I continued my assault on the bag, though a bit slower as I talked.

"No matter how often you've been wrong, Brennan, you'd expect us to accept your word about someone you brought in."

Brennan had recovered his balance and moved back to steady the bag again. I concentrated on releasing some of my anger as I pounded the bag for several minutes. I'd be lying if I said I didn't picture his face in front of some of the punches.

"We both know I'm better at judging people than you are. But you still doubt my judgment. You still are so sure that you're right and I'm wrong."

That was the biggest source of my anger and now that I'd gotten it out, my remaining energy drained away quickly. I backed away from the bag, resting my hands on my knees as I tried to catch my breath.

Brennan hadn't said anything, staying half out of sight behind the bag. I expected him to leave without another word, but he didn't. He leaned on the bag and when I looked up, he was watching me. I sighed and started unwrapping my hands.

"You're right. I'm sorry, Jess."

I stared at Brennan, not sure I'd actually heard him correctly. He moved out from behind the bag, leaning against the wall before sliding down to sit on the floor. Resting his arms on his knees, he leaned his head back against the wall. Apparently holding the bag had been almost as much effort as my workout.

Without moving, or looking at me, Brennan picked the conversation back up. "I don't know her, Jess. She kept some pretty important stuff hidden from us... well, you. In my book, that makes her suspicious at best."

He finally looked at me again, dark eyes serious and thoughtful.

"But that's based on my life before I joined Mutant X. And I should know better by now than to discount your judgment. Especially when you do know her."

He sighed, interlacing his fingers and looking across the room. "Whether or not she hid things from us, her actions have been on our side, and I should have taken that into account too."

He frowned a bit and then nodded. "And then there's the GSA. She's got to be top on their listed of acquisitions now. We should be helping her for that even if there weren't any other reasons."

I think my eyebrows had risen to meet my hairline by that point. Brennan is a hothead. He reacts first and thinks later. Sometimes we get an apology from him, but mostly not. Apparently he'd been thinking while I'd been working off my anger and this was one of those rare occasions. I had to appreciate his honesty and the effort he was making to be fair to Roslin.

"I'm not asking you to become her best friend, Bren, or to accept her as a team member. Just give her a chance and get to know her before making a judgment."

Brennan nodded. "Fair enough, Jess. Sorry for letting my past get in the way."

I shrugged and offered him a small smile. "We all do it sometimes. You're not as bad about it as you used to be."

My teammate rolled his eyes slightly and then stood up. "So, we good? No more trying to kill the bag? or me?"

"I'm done for the day. We're good."

I straightened up with a groan. Tomorrow morning I was going to regret having pushed myself so hard.

"I'm headed for a shower, if I can walk that far."

That earned a quiet chuckle from Brennan. I knew that all was right in the world as far as he was concerned. Whether it would stay that way was anyone's guess. But things were back to normal, or as least as close as they ever get for us, and I was willing to take that for now.

* * *

It was early evening, at least by her clock, when Roslin woke up. She wasn't certain she wanted to venture out, but she'd missed the evening meal and whether or not she was hungry, Roslin knew she'd pay for it if she didn't eat something. Besides, after that nap she was going to need some of her tea if she was going to get back to sleep at a decent hour.

Jesse must have been at his computer because he walked into the kitchen as she was struggling with the pizza box one-handed. He didn't say anything, just flipped the lid of the box open as she held it. After taking in the kettle on the stove, he flashed her a grin as he pulled a couple of plates from the cabinet.

"How many?" he asked as he slid a couple of slices onto one of the plates and put it in the microwave.

Roslin was recalling how infectious Jesse's smiles were. Her's was small in comparison, but it was there, and it felt odd on her lips.

"Just one, Jess. Thanks."

The kettle whistled and she turned around to pour the hot water over the tea leaves very carefully.

"Heard someone rattling around in here and I was ready for a snack break. Did you want to do some more work, or was there something else you wanted to do?"

Roslin replaced the kettle and made sure the burner was off before answering. "Adam said Brennan and Shalimar brought my car in. I was wondering if I could check on it? There are some things in it I'd like to grab." She hated how tentative her voice sounded, but she didn't know what she was going to be allowed to do.

Jess nodded as he switched the plates in the microwave. "Shouldn't be a problem. It's down in the garage."

He chuckled, a bit self-deprecatingly, as she looked at him, and shook his head slightly.

"You have no idea where the garage is. I just remembered. Let's eat and then I'll show you the way. Brennan's probably working on his bike so he can help you while you're down there. "

Roslin studied the blonde man as she took a seat. There was an odd reservation in his emotions, but it made her head throb when she tried to concentrate on it so she let it go.

Both plates slid onto the table and the molecular took the seat opposite Roslin. He finished his pizza before she did, but he didn't seem to be in any hurry. When she was done, he dumped both plates in the sink and led the way out of the kitchen.

As Jesse led her through Sanctuary, he pointed out details she wouldn't have noticed on her own. It indicated a level of trust that surprised her, and Roslin couldn't keep that surprise from her face. It didn't take Jess long to notice, and he stopped, turning to face her.

"Roslin, Adam trusts you. Emma and I trust you okay?"

He put a hand on her shoulder and his blue eyes were sincere and concerned as he continued. "You can trust us too. We just want to help you."

Roslin wanted to believe him. Her ability, as unreliable as it was at the moment, told her he meant every word. Her mind and past experience told her otherwise. Green eyes darkened as heart and mind warred and Roslin inhaled sharply, breaking eye contact. She stepped away, heading down the hallway in the direction they'd been headed.

Jess sighed and played with his earlobe for a moment before catching up with her. He was disappointed, but not surprised. Trust took time and a few weeks couldn't compete with a lifetime of opposing experience. He pointed out a few more things along the way, but was mostly quiet for the remainder of the walk.

Down in the garage, Jesse showed Roslin where Brennan was working, then handed over the keys to her car. She offered a quiet thank you but refused to meet his eyes. After a minute, he sighed and headed back upstairs.

Roslin watched him retreat, wrapping her left arm around herself with a soft sigh. She hadn't meant to hurt him of all people, but she knew she had. It was just that trust came hard for her - the Centre had taught her all too well that trusting and relying on other people only got you hurt.

After a moment, she moved to her car, unlocking the door awkwardly and sliding behind the wheel. She sat there, thinking, doubting. Jesse trusted her more than he should. Roslin wanted to trust him just as much. She did trust him more than anyone other than Jarod. But it wasn't enough, it seemed, for either of them.

Finally she shook herself and popped the trunk latch before getting out of the car. She'd been telling Jess the truth about wanting some things. Everything took twice as long as it should have with only one arm and it grated. Not that her temper was at its best with heart and mind fighting each other.

Given the chance, Roslin would prefer to take her car and head for another state. She'd noticed the gas gauge though, and there was less than a quarter tank of gas. Odds were better than even that she'd run out of gas before finding a gas station, especially since she had no idea where Sanctuary actually was. And then there was another matter to consider. The GSA had probably tagged her bank accounts and credit cards. Adam might have done the same. So a quick get away was out until she figured things out.

She gathered her things, shoving them in a drawstring bag that had been crumpled up in the back seat. That done, she hesitated. Roslin knew she should find Brennan and give him the keys, but she was hesitant to do so. It wasn't just that she didn't want to lose the car as one of her options. Something about Brennan made her uncomfortable. Maybe it was just that she hadn't actually met him yet, at least not while she was conscious.. She had a feeling there was a reason for that, though she had no clue what it might be.

Gathering up her empty mug, the keys and the bag, she went in search of the elemental. It didn't take long to find him. Roslin watched him work on his bike for a few minutes before she moved into his line of sight.

"Nice bike. Vintage, isn't it?"

Brennan's head rose quickly as he located her and there was a measure of surprise on his face.

"Uh, yeah. Been working on restoring her for a while now."

He swiveled around to face her, taking a rag from his back pocket and wiping his hands clean.

"You know bikes?" The surprise had migrated to his voice now.

Roslin shrugged her good shoulder. "I know a little. I'm no expert though."

Stepping in closer to the bike to get a better look, her lips quirked in a slight smile that had nothing to do with humor.

"I'm Roslin Baker. Nice to meet you."

"Yeah. Brennan, Brennan Mulwray."

He wiped his hands again and stuck out the right one. She looked at his extended hand for a minute than nodded toward the sling she was wearing. He blushed slightly.

"Uh yeah. Forgot about that. Sorry."

"No big," Roslin hitched a hip against the workbench, lifting a brow as she set the mug down.

"What system are you working on?"

Brennan sat back down and looked at the bike, attention still mostly on Roslin.

"Electrical. This model has a history of shorts. I'm trying to figure out if I can fix it without screwing up the restoration.."

"Hmm..." Roslin leaned back, studying the bike and thinking. "I wonder... Was there any shielding between the wires and the frame on the original builds?"

The elemental considered for a moment and his voice was a bit friendlier when he replied. "They didn't really think about stuff like that when they built these bikes. I'll have to look into it. Thanks."

"Sure. If I think of anything else, I'll let you know. Could you take these for me?"

She held out the keys with a wry smile. "I should probably be getting back upstairs."

"Sure. You know how to get out of here?" Brennan scratched his head and took the keys.

Roslin thought a moment and her reply was a bit sheepish. "Ah, actually, no. I wasn't really paying attention when Jesse showed me the way down here."

"Here, follow me."

He stood and gestured for her to follow him as he headed down the left hand hallway.

"I'll show you where the dojo is. The stairs are right next to it."

Roslin pushed herself off the bench, grabbing her mug and followed him, trying to pay more attention to where she was being led this time.

The hall doglegged once then opened up into a large space. A punching bag swung slowly, the flurry of movement behind it stopping as they entered the space.

"Hey Shal," Brennan called out as the blonde feral appeared from behind the bag. "Wasn't sure if you were still down here or not."

"Hey yourself, Sparky." Shal grinned, eyes on her team mate's companion.

"Shalimar Fox, meet Roslin Baker." Brennan executed a joking bow along with the introduction.

"Can you show her how to get back upstairs, Shal? I've got half the bike scattered across the garage floor."

"Sure thing," Shalimar chuckled. "Go. Clean up before Adam sees the mess."

She watched Brennan leave then turned to their guest, a friendly but curious smile on her face.

"Let me guess. Jesse showed you the way down here and left? Assuming you'd figure out the way back on your own?"

Roslin just nodded and shifted the bag on her left shoulder before it slipped.

"Come on. I'll show you the quickest way, along with some of the things his male mind may have forgotten about." There was a touch of amusement at the molecular's expense in the woman's voice.

Somehow, in the course of the conversation, Shalimar had managed to take the mug from Roslin, leaving the injured woman with a free hand in case she needed it.

Shalimar led her to the back of the dojo and up two flights of stairs. The climb left Roslin winded, and the jarring set her shoulder to throbbing. Between the two, she was forced to ask the other woman to stop for a minute while she caught her breath. It embarrassed her a bit, though even if she'd been in the best shape of her life, she wouldn't have been able to keep up with a feral.

After a minute or two, she pushed away from the wall she'd been leaning against. She thought about asking the other woman something but changed her mind, offering a slight smile instead. Shalimar noticed the pause, her eyes narrowing as she tilted her head slightly, studying her companion. "Out with it," a smile softened the words.

"What?" Roslin looked at the feral, confused.

"You wanted to ask me something. So ask."

The auburn haired woman studied Shalimar in return before dropping her gaze to the floor between them. "It doesn't matter. I was going to ask if I could come down and practice, but its a moot point with this," Roslin nodded toward her injured shoulder.

"Not to mention I don't exactly have the extra clothes to work out in anyway. I appreciate that you grabbed my go-bag but my wardrobe is a bit limited."

"I could help with that. Work on your stamina and show you some moves you can use one-handed."

Roslin looked up at the other woman, a small, somewhat tentative smile curving her lips. "I'd appreciate that Shalimar. It might give me a decent chance of getting away if I run into the GSA again."

"I hear that!" Shal grinned. "Tell you what, Emma and I will swing by your place and pick up some more clothes for you. We can check and see what damage the GSA did while they were there."

Though she wouldn't have asked,, Roslin was quick to take Shalimar up on the offer. Still, she gave the other woman a chance to back out. "You don't have to do that. You guys have done more than enough already."

"Not a problem - don't worry about it, Roslin. Besides," Shal tweaked Roslin's sleeve, "You really should have a few more things to wear. Anything else you need that we can grab while we're there?"

Shalimar lead her slowly down a corridor an she took a minute to think before answering. "If you can grab the rest of my teas and my journal, I'd really appreciate it."

By the time they reached the door at the end of the corridor, the feral was assuring Roslin she could find the requested items.

Pushing the door open, Shalimar gestured through it. "That's the main hallway. Your room's at the end."

Roslin thanked the other woman again, then headed for her room. The tea was finally kicking in, and despite the earlier nap, she was tired. She didn't really feel up to talking to anyone else tonight and sleep sounded good.


	17. Pieces of a Whole

Roslin woke to find it was mid-morning, at least according to the clock on her nightstand. Later than she'd wanted to sleep, but at least she was feeling a little better than yesterday. She stumbled over something on her way to the light switch. A flip of the switch showed her a good-sized duffel bag near the door. Inside, were most of her clothes, along with her toiletries and her journal.

Roslin took a few minutes to find places for everything. A little later, showered and dressed in her own clothes, she felt considerably more comfortable and less stressed. It was easier to ignore the aches and pains, to push them into the background. She headed for the kitchen, knowing come coffee would help her get the day started.

Jesse must have heard her, because he showed up as she was adding some sugar to her mug. "Shal and Emma went over to your place this morning. You find the stuff they grabbed for you?"

She took a sip of her coffee. "Yeah, I really appreciate them doing that. I was running out of clothes."

Jess leaned back on the counter, remembering what Roslin's house had been like when he was there. "Roslin, they said your place was pretty well trashed."

She blew out a sigh and looked at the liquid in her mug. "No real surprise there. Eckhart has to be more than a little pissed to know that there was traitor in his midst, much less a mutant traitor." She looked up at the molecular with a frown, picking up on his emotions. "What aren't you telling me, Jesse?"

He rubbed the back of his neck before meeting her eyes and sighing. "Shal said she saw two guys leaving your place just as she and Emma got there. She said they didn't look like GSA."

He crossed his arms over his chest, his expression concerned. "Roslin, can you think of anyone else at all who might be looking for you?"

She set her mug down on the counter and rubbed her right bicep, eyes distant as she thought about what he'd said. After a moment, she shook her head, eyes troubled. "Not that I can think of, Jess. I worked for Genomex for almost two years and I can't remember pissing anyone off before that. I was a contractor and most of my employers never even knew who I was."

She frowned slightly, shaking her head to herself as an old memory flashed in her mind. But that had been decades ago and nothing had ever come of it. "No, there's nothing, Jess. No one I can think of that might be holding a grudge except the GSA."

They spent a few more minutes in light conversation and then both retreated to their computers and their own thoughts. About an hour later, Shal appeared with an amused smile to see them both working intently. She flashed a grin at Jesse as he looked up, but it was Roslin she approached. "Hey, Why don't you get changed and we'll do some work together before lunch."

Shal didn't miss the slight startlement before Roslin turned to face her. She watched the other woman blink once or twice before the memory of the previous day's conversation caught up to her. "Thanks, Shalimar. I'll meet you in the dojo in a few minutes?"

The feral nodded, an understanding expression on her face, before she left. Roslin shut the computer down and ten minutes later she was seated on a weight bench watching the feral run through some basic self-defense exercises, a few of which could be done one-handed.

Roslin paid close attention and asked occasional questions. She only hoped she'd get the chance to practice before she had to use any of what Shalimar was teaching her. After the lesson, Shalimar insisted she spend twenty minutes on the treadmill, even if it was at a walk.

Roslin skipped lunch in favor of another shower and a short nap. She had a session with Adam that afternoon to try to figure out what had been done to her genetic structure. And after that, another session with Emma. It was enough to make her head spin if she let herself stop and think about it. She'd worked around more people at Genomex, but she'd had far less interaction with them. If she was honest with herself, she couldn't remember ever having this much close personal contact with more than one or two people at a time, and it made her uncomfortable.

The genetic tests that Adam ran gave them some idea of what was done to her but not who had done it. Her medical history over the past year didn't offer any immediate clues either. The session with Emma left her with a killer headache but stronger emotional shields. The upside was that the other empath was certain she could modify her shields to keep out other people's thoughts as well. That meant the sub-dermal governor could be removed in the next day or two.

Much as she wanted some quiet time to herself, Roslin knew she couldn't skip another meal without having to answer questions. She headed to the kitchen a little before the evening meal, brewing up a mug of her headache tea. She joined the others for the meal but kept mostly to herself. Emma mentioned the work they'd done during their session that afternoon, and the others seemed content to let her remain quiet.

After the meal, Roslin was finally able to get some time to herself. She took a few minutes to update her journal. Despite all that had happened, it didn't take very long. Apparently Jesse had managed to set up the shielding on her room, because by the time she finished with her journal, the emotional silence in the room was starting to get to her. The headache had receded and now that her energy was returning, Roslin found herself restless.

After thinking for a while, she headed down to the garage. The walk would do her good. Besides, she'd done some research on the bike Brennan was restoring. If he was down there, she could fill him in on what she'd found. If he wasn't, well the walk would help quiet her mind and thereby help her get to sleep, so it wouldn't be wasted energy.

* * *

The following week was much the same. Some of Roslin's day was always spent on the computers and with Adam. The older man had a myriad of tests and questions, determined to find out who had tinkered with her DNA and why. Part of her day was spent with Emma or Shalimar, refining and practicing the skills the other women had to teach her. Her evenings were her own - though she often spent them in the garage. Brennan's bike restoration was interesting and held no connections to the troubles she spent most of her day thinking about.

There were times when Sanctuary chafed a bit. She'd expected that, after a little thought. Though she was safe inside, far safer than she'd be anywhere else, it reminded her at times of her younger days, more or less captive in the Centre. Oh, it wasn't the same. She could go outside - on the mountain or down to the beach. In fact, if she really wanted to, she could leave Sanctuary at anytime. Adam and Jess, if not the others, would try to convince her to stay, but in the end they wouldn't stop her if that's what she really wanted to do.

To be honest, Roslin didn't really want to leave. She was more afraid they'd tell her it was time for her to go. Not that it was likely - at least not yet. Jesse would make sure she could go safely into the Underground before anyone even suggested she leave. And for the time being, Roslin knew Jesse wasn't convinced anywhere but Sanctuary was safe for her. She had to admit that on the times they discussed it, he'd raised good points. The GSA was still looking for her - the streets and the Underground were full of information about their efforts to find her. Then there was the other organization that the molecular was certain was looking for her. No clue as to who they might be. No hints in the usual channels. But Jess and Adam were adamant that they were out there watching for her.

What Roslin didn't know was that even within Sanctuary, she was being watched.

* * *

I had plenty of work to do, but that didn't stop me from watching the security feeds. What I saw didn't exactly reassure me that Roslin was setting in at Sanctuary. It did lead me to check her search and browser history. I felt a little guilty about it, but I also couldn't figure out any other way to get the information I was looking for. Roslin wasn't going to offer it up - I already knew that.

What the feeds showed me was disturbing and reminded me of something, though I couldn't remember what at that moment. The Roslin I knew wasn't quite the Roslin I was seeing on the feeds. In fact, the Roslin on the feeds seemed to be a different person depending on who she was with at the time. With Adam, she might have been a research assistant. With Emma, she got kind of 'cosmic.' She was far more physical, despite still healing injuries, with Shal than with anyone else. And with Brennan, she turned into a mechanic, showing a far more streetwise attitude than I'd seen before. And with all of them, she was showing a far higher level of knowledge in their areas of expertise than I'd have expected. In the end, that was the reason I looked into her computer logs. Part of the time I'd thought she was spending on web design, shed actually spent on research.

Roslin was trying to fit in, and on an individual level, she was doing it well. On a group level, it was a different story. She was nearly invisible, even when we were all gathered for a meal. Nearly silent as well, unless someone asked her a direct question. The confidence she exhibited one-on-one was missing. I couldn't help but remember the conversation I'd had with Emma, and I had to wonder just how close our suppositions were to the truth.

Then there was what I'd learned about the Centre. I hadn't stopped digging into that, in part because so much of the information was hard to find. Anything hidden that well always catches my attention. I didn't like what I found. I had no proof that Roslin had been a part of it, but something told me she had. It might explain what I was seeing on the security feeds. It might also explain the adaptability I'd notice early on.

That adaptability was what I'd been trying to remember as I watched the feeds. The dinner at Cucina, the way she'd blended in with the students at City North. That little spoiled socialite act she'd put on when her ability overloaded. And how she'd managed to fit in while working at Genomex. Was she one of these 'Pretenders' I'd found hints about? It would explain a lot, but the possibility worried me too. If it was true, Roslin hadn't grown up in anything even approaching a normal environment. And that was without throwing her natural empathy into the mix.

I wondered whether to tell Adam about my concerns - right up until I walked in on him watching the same feeds. The expression he was wearing made my concerns seem more valid. Adam had done something different from me though, watching four feeds at once on a split screen. Running at the same time, we watched Roslin interacting with Adam, Shal, Brennan, and me. I didn't say anything, but I moved into Adam's line of sight so he would know I was there.

Watching the feeds that way, more differences were clear. Roslin's posture, her gestures, even her voice and word choice changed. Individually, they were subtle things. Taken together, it was hard to believe it was the same person in each feed. Only the clothing, hair, and the right arm still in its sling, made it clear the feeds were all the same person. If not for the injury, I suspected we'd have seen even more differences.

"You've seen these already, Jess?" Adam's voice held a concern for Roslin I hadn't heard from him before.

"Not the ones with me, but I've been watching the others."

Turning away from the screen, I leaned against the counter to look my mentor in the face.

"Is that the result of her time with the Centre, Adam?"

He reached behind himself, pulling a chair closer and sitting down before answering.

"I don't know, Jess. I suspect so, at least in part."

Folding his arms across his chest, he nodded toward the screen with the feeds still running. "The question is, which one is the real Roslin? Or does she even know?"

There it was - the thing that had worried me the most, even while I couldn't seem to put it into words. Knowing that Adam and I were thinking along the same lines, I went ahead and voiced my concern.

"I'm not sure she does, Adam."

I sighed, running a hand through my hair and avoiding my mentor's eyes.

"I've been doing some digging. There's a whole section of the Centre that's pretty shadowy - hard to track down any information on it before this Jarod took over."

Adam just nodded, a raised eyebrow encouraging me to continue.

"If Roslin was part of that section - one of the 'Pretenders' - there's a better than even chance she doesn't know which one is which. I'd love to believe the Roslin I know is the 'real' woman, but I think she's had to be someone else so often and for so long that she may not even know herself at this point."

There was something else bothering me, something I knew Adam couldn't have seen, at least not fully. He had never seen Roslin outside of Sanctuary. I had. In light of what I knew, the way she kept to herself when we were all around worried me.

"Adam, it's not just the changes when she's with us individually." Pushing myself from the counter, I paced a bit. "You've seen how quiet, how withdrawn, she is when we're all together?"

Glancing over, I caught his nod.

"She's not like that at all in public. She has no problem fitting in with any crowd I've seen her in - outside of Sanctuary."

Rubbing the back of my neck, I continued.

"That worries me, Adam. She can adapt to groups. I've seen her do it in the blink of an eye. But she's not doing it here, and I can't figure out why. The only thing I can think of is that the group is so small and we're all so different. But she should still be able to pick up on the shared behaviors and act on them."

Adam looked thoughtful. Still concerned, but thoughtful. He was aware that of all of us, I knew Roslin best. She'd developed a certain working trust with all of us over the past week, but she was still most comfortable around me. I'd also seen Roslin outside of Sanctuary. I was really the only one who had seen her in 'normal' circumstances.

"I'm worried too, Jess." Adam ran a hand over his jaw as he stood. "Okay, Let me make a call and see what someone with a bit more background thinks. While I'm doing that, find Emma and let her know I want to talk to her. And let Roslin know I want her in the med-lab before breakfast tomorrow."

Adam offered me a slight smile.

"If Emma tells me what I think she will, we'll see about getting that governor out of Roslin's neck in the morning."

I knew how Roslin felt about her telepathy, but she hated the sub-dermal governor more. She'd have mixed feelings at best, and I expected she'd have trouble sleeping tonight.

Once Adam got an acknowledgment from me, he disappeared into his office. I was fairly certain his source was Jarod. It wasn't that hard to figure out given the man's name had been on the cards Roslin had. Not to mention that he was currently running the Centre. I hoped he would tell Adam we were worrying over nothing, and I was afraid that he wouldn't.

* * *

"Adam, I was hoping to hear from Roslin before I heard from you again."

The head of the Centre switched his attention from another screen to Adam as he finished speaking.

Adam nodded slightly and took a deep breath.

"That's partly why I'm calling, Jarod. I wanted to let you know that Roslin's doing fine physically. Her wound is healing nicely."

The other man's eyes narrowed slightly and he leaned back in his chair.

"That's rather specific wording. If she's doing fine physically, how is she *not* doing fine?"

"I don't know that she isn't, Jarod. That's why I called. Jess and I have seen some tendencies that worry us, but they may perfectly fine for a Pretender."

Adam slumped back in his chair, steepled fingers tapping his chin as he thought for a moment before continuing.

"I know adapting is a major part of what Pretenders do, but I'm worried she may be adapting a bit too much to us as individuals and not enough to us as a group."

Jarod frowned, looking at Adam curiously.

"I'm not sure I understand, Adam."

Adam just nodded. He'd hoped Jarod would understand with having to go into detail, but he hadn't expected it.

"I suspected Roslin hadn't contacted you, but I didn't know for sure. I've kept an eye on her. Some of my people weren't particularly happy with her being here and I wanted to make sure there wasn't any trouble."

Adam pulled up the security feeds on his second screen, watching them for a moment before continuing.

"I was wondering about what I was seeing, but it was Jesse coming to me that made my mind up about calling you. He knows her best and it turns out he's been keeping an eye on her as well. What we're seeing is almost a different person when she's with people individually. Now, I'd expect some of that, but not as much as we're seeing."

Adam stopped, leaning forward and resting his elbows on the desk. After a moment, he folded his hands and rested his chin atop them.

"Jess is more concerned about her behavior around us as a group. She's keeping as much in the background as she can. It pretty much takes a direct question to get her to interact with us. Jess says she wasn't that way before."

"Would you mind sending me some of that footage, Adam?

Jarod looked thoughtful, but there was concern in his voice.

"That doesn't sound like the Roslin I know, but I haven't spent much time with her, especially in the past few years."

"Thought you might want to take a look. Sending it to you now."

Adam spent a few minutes watching the other screen to make sure the files were transferring before turning back to Jarod.

"In anyone else, I would be worrying about a possible dissociative disorder. Jesse suggested that maybe she's had to be someone else so often and for so long that she's not sure of herself anymore."

That last seemed to catch the other man's attention and he considered it for a long moment, checking something on another screen.

"Who's this Jesse of yours, Adam? Sounds pretty smart and he just may be right, at least in general."

His eyes flicked to the other screen and he nodded to himself.

"When I took over, we gave all the Pretenders a choice of what they wanted to do. Part of that choice was whether to keep their quarters with us or strike out on their own. The ones who stayed, we gave several months to start figuring out who they were rather than who the Centre wanted them to be."

Jarod sighed, his expression showing he wasn't happy.

"I would have preferred they all stay, at least long enough to start to know themselves, but some of them just wanted out. They wanted to start building a new life based on their own decisions. For some of them, the Centre and the control it had of them was too painful. I'm not sure which it was for Roslin, maybe a little of both. But she was one of the one's who left."

He fidgeted with something just out of view.

"We offered to cover several months of expenses for the ones who left - to give them the same chance to discover themselves as those who stayed, but most of them declined. Probably for the same reasons they declined to stay. That meant they had to find income. I'm looking at Roslin's work history, and I don't think she ever took any time for herself."

"Should we worry?"

Jarod rested his chin in his hand for a few seconds.

"Keep an eye on her but I think maybe she's being forced to figure out who she is. For the first time, she doesn't have a job to do or responsibility to fulfill. I think she'll be okay eventually, but I can't guarantee that."

"Fair enough."

Adam nodded and then smiled slightly.

"You might want to take a look at your computer security. Jess managed to find information about the Pretender program. Not who was in it, but what it was."

"I'll talk to Broots. Those files were supposed to be buried."

"Jess tends to hunt for buried information. He's good at finding it."

Jarod nodded, returning the slight smile.

"Maybe he and Broots should meet sometime. Try to get Roslin to give me a call if you can."

The two exchanged a few more words and then disconnected, both having a lot to think about.


	18. Sharing a Secret

After Jess found her and told her about Adam''s plans for the next day, Roslin had been forced to resort to a second cup of her sleep blend. When the alarm went off in the morning, she groaned, head muzzy. After a minute, she reached over and turned the alarm off. Tempting as it was to roll over and go back to sleep, it would only result in someone knocking on her door, or worse, so Roslin got up and showered instead.

Emma had assured her that she'd be able to block out other people's thoughts after the governor was removed, but Roslin had her doubts all the same. She almost stopped by the kitchen for a cup of coffee, but she knew she'd just be using it as a delaying tactic. Instead she headed straight for the lab, bypassing the kitchen entirely.

Adam was intent on some data when she arrived. Emma took charge, moving them both to a corner.

"Don't worry."

Emma gave her an encouraging smile.

"It's just Adam and me. I'm shielding my thoughts and Adam has a pretty tight natural shield for a non-mutant."

Roslin just nodded, settling into the bio-chair and running through a couple of centering exercises Emma had taught her. As much as she wished this telepathic ability had never surfaced, she had no desire to live the rest of her life wearing a subdermal governor. She still wasn't sure she could master the telepathy, but there had been times when she hadn't thought she'd ever control her empathy either - and she'd been born with that ability.

When Adam approached, Roslin pulled her hair over her left shoulder, exposing the nape of her neck and the governor implanted there. Mutant X's leader rested a hand on her good shoulder for a moment before moving out of Roslin's line of sight. She felt, more than heard, a metallic click and winced as the governor retracted and Adam removed it. A moment later she felt him tape a small piece of gauze where the governor had been.

After that, Roslin wasn't paying any attention to Adam. Instead, she was concentrating on the way her two abilities were working. Emma had been right. She wasn't picking up any stray thoughts from the empath and the few she was getting from Adam were clinical and quiet. There was an increased sense of presence from each of her companions, but that was all.

At least, that was all until Adam finished running his scans. As he reviewed the results, his mental discipline seemed to slip.

_I should tell her now, before she has to deal with the others._

Roslin's head jerked up and she stared at the older man. She couldn't stop herself from responding to his thought, though she did so verbally. Even she could hear the tension in her voice.

"Tell me what, Adam?"

"In a minute, Roslin. Let Emma help you get your telepathic shields up and working first."

She stared at Adam, but he kept his attention on the scans. Finally Roslin sighed and turned her attention to Emma. The tele-empath moved into her line of sight before running her through a couple of new centering exercises. She used her own ability to verify that Roslin was centered.

In a low voice, she lead the other woman through the necessary steps to modify her empathic shields to take telepathic input into account as well. Once that was done, she released the shield she had been holding over her own thoughts. She nodded slightly in satisfaction when there was no change in Roslin's expression. She nodded to Adam and left the lab quietly.

Adam waited until the door slid closed behind Emma, debating on how to approach the topic. Finally he decided to just be blunt.

"I know what you are, Roslin. I've talked to Jarod and I know about the Centre."

Though his voice was gentle, as understanding as she'd ever heard from him, her eyes flew open and she stared at him. The only time anyone ever talked about the Centre was at the Centre. After a minute or two, her brain kicked back into gear as the shock settled. She shifted in the bio-chair and met Adam's eyes.

"So you know. What does that mean?"

"Nothing, if you don't want it to."

He moved closer, leaning against a counter where she could see him easily.

"I know you've had to keep it a secret. In most cases that's probably still the smartest thing to do. But, Roslin, you don't need to keep it secret from us."

Adam shrugged and gave her a rueful smile.

"I think Jesse's figured it out by himself, but then he hates unanswered questions, and he's had a lot of them about you."

Roslin's head tilted as she evaluated his words. A part of her mind noted that she wasn't picking up his thoughts, so the shield was still holding.

"Why tell me now? And why haven't you told the others? Because I know you haven't."

That wasn't knowledge that came from her telepathy or her empathy. It came just from getting to know the man over the past week.

Adam sighed and ran a hand through his hair, deciding honesty was the best policy.

"Why now? Because I'm worried. Jess is worried. We've been watching you, and what we've seen makes us concerned."

He paced the length of the room before continuing.

"The secret is yours, not mine. So it's not my place to reveal it, even to those I would trust with my life. It's not my life I'd be trusting them with. It's yours."

"But you think I should tell them."

Green eyes met brown and she watched Adam carefully, relying on her observation rather than her abilities.

"I do. Even Jesse and Emma still have questions. There are pieces of information that they can't get to fit. Knowing would help them put those pieces together."

Roslin bit her lip and sighed, looking away for a few seconds. The green eyes darkened, seeing something that wasn't there for a short while. Finally, she shook herself, wincing slightly as her shoulder twinged.

"They deserve to know, Adam, but..."

Pained eyes met the scientist's gaze.

"I left the Centre for a reason. More than one, actually."

She paused, inhaling sharply and letting the breath out slowly.

"I just don't know. You said it's not your secret to tell. It's not completely mine either."

There was a trace of surprise in Adam's expression but he nodded after a moment. He pushed away from the counter, turning and typing something into the nearest computer.

"Why don't you give Jarod a call and see what he advises. He wants to hear from you."

He looked over his shoulder to catch her gaze, watching as she nodded slowly. Smiling slightly, he crossed over to help her off the bio-chair.

"It's set up, just hit enter. I'll leave you alone. Take as long as you need. The computer will let me know when you log off. I'll check on you then."

He was at the lab door by the time he finished speaking. A last crooked smile, and he was gone, leaving Roslin staring at a computer screen. She hadn't exactly been avoiding making this call, but she hadn't been making any plans for it either. Eventually, she hit the enter key and sat down, waiting for the connection to be made.

Jarod smiled as he looked at the screen.

"Roslin, you're looking good for someone who was shot a week ago."

"Hi Jarod."

Roslin offered the head of the Centre a rueful smile.

"Sorry I've been out of touch. Things have been... complicated."

"So I gather from what Adam has told me. Sounds like your life has been more interesting lately than even most of us experience."

Roslin looked away from the screen for a minute. When she looked back, her smile was crooked and fragile. "Turns out I'm not exactly a normal Pretender - or anything else - apparently."

"None of us are normal, Roslin. That's why the Board acquired us in the first place."

"Yeah, you know what I mean, Jarod."

He nodded. Since Adam had told him about Roslin's original mutation, he'd been doing some thinking.

"Your mutation - or rather mutations. I think I understand why you left the Centre so quickly and why you don't like to come back."

Roslin nodded.

"I had my secrets, but then we all did, then. And I'm still keeping them."

Jarod cocked his head to one side, studying her image, but remaining silent, encouraging her to continue.

"Adam knows. He thinks the others should too."

It was Jarod's turn to nod.

"I thought it might be something like that. From what Adam said the last time I talked to him, it sounds like one of his people already figured it out for himself."

"Jesse."

Roslin sighed.

"Stubborn as a rock and twice as inquisitive as a cat."

Jarod laughed quietly..

"Sounds like a few other people I know."

Roslin's smile firmed a bit before fading entirely.

"I try not to even think about the Centre, Jarod. I don't want to remember what it was like growing up there."

"I can understand, Roslin, but whether you acknowledge the Centre or not, it doesn't really change who or what you are. No one outside is going to understand certain things about you without understanding what the Centre was back then."

Roslin looked down, fingering the edge of her sling. After a few seconds, she pulled her hair away from her face, looking up at the screen and meeting Jarod's eyes.

"You think I should tell them." It was a statement, not a question and Jarod nodded.

"I think they should know. I know Adam can be trusted and I trust that his people can be too."

His smile faded and his expression made it clear he was taking the situation seriously.

"Roslin, if it's too much for you to tell them, let Adam do it. But I think it can only help if they know where you've come from."

She nodded slightly.

"I'm tired of secrets, Jarod. I'm just never sure it's safe to let them go."

"In this case, it is. I know trust doesn't come easy. Try, Roslin. Adam and his team are worthy of it."

"I'm trying, but it's hard.

She took a breath, nodded, and then continued.

"Thanks, Jarod. I'll try to stay in better touch."

"Do that," Jarod smiled, lightening the mood a bit. "Take care of yourself, Roslin, and let Adam and his people help you out."

Roslin nodded and cut the connection. Leaning back in the chair, she reviewed the conversation and let her mind wander into the past. The sound of the lab door sliding open brought her thoughts back to the present.

She swiveled the chair to face Adam as he entered. He crossed to the bio-chair and leaned against it, studying Roslin even as she was studying him. She was the one to break the silence.

"Okay. You and Jarod are right. The others have a right to know what I am. But Adam..."

She closed her eyes for a moment, looking away when she opened them again.

"I can't tell them. I just can't."

Now she looked back to Adam.

"It's too much that I've tried to forget.

The older man nodded and thought, steepled forefingers tapping against his chin.

"Would you have any objection to me telling them? You'd have to be there, to answer questions and to assure them that I'm not breaking your confidence."

Roslin took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. She wasn't sure she could answer any questions, but she was certain Jesse and the others deserved to know. Finally, she nodded.

"That should work."

Adam offered a slight smile.

"Go get some rest. Take some time and make sure you're balanced and your defenses will hold. I think we'll do it around dinner time tonight."

Another nod was all the answer she gave him before she slipped out of the lab, thinking hard.

* * *

Adam called us all together before dinner. Roslin took a seat slightly off to one side, close enough to be part of the group but still separate. That gave me an idea of why Adam had called this meeting. I grabbed the seat closest to Roslin and flashed an encouraging smile her way when she looked my direction.

Once we were all seated, Adam folded his hands in front of himself. I saw his eyes flick briefly to Roslin, but I don't think anyone else noticed.

"Okay guys, I have some information to share. Roslin has given me permission to give you some information I've had access to since her first night here."

I nodded to myself, watching Adam, though my team mates looked at Roslin curiously. I thought I knew what was coming, and I took the brief pause to raise those mental walls Emma had taught us all to build. It might or might not help Roslin, but at least I wouldn't be adding to whatever pressure her defenses were under. If the discussion went the way I thought it might, things would be hard enough on her even without her abilities.

"You all know that Roslin disappeared from the system when she was about eight or nine."

Adam paused, surveying the group and noting the nodding heads.

"There is a corporation called the Centre. It has been around for a very long time - in fact, it used to be headquartered in the same building Genomex now occupies."

The hint of an ironic smile touched my mentor's lips as he caught my eye. That was one piece of information I hadn't paid attention to during my information gathering. Had the property changed enough, or had Roslin dealt with unwanted memories the entire time she'd worked there?

"Up until about ten years ago, the Centre made a point of seeking out children with a special set of abilities. When they found these special children, they obtained possession of them. The methods they used were not always legal."

Adam took a swallow from his mug. He took a moment to look at us, checking our reactions to what he'd said. I nodded slightly, turning my attention to Roslin. She looked tense and uncertain, but so far it appeared her defenses were holding up to the strain. I could guess at the emotions my team mates were feeling, having felt them when I'd found the information on the Centre a few days ago - disgust and anger that the place had existed.

Adam's expression was gentler than normal as he looked at Roslin.

"Roslin, do you remember how you ended up at the Centre as a child?"

She flinched just a bit, but nodded, swallowing once or twice before answering.

"My parents gave me to them, said I was too smart for my own good."

Roslin's voice started off easy to hear, but it was barely audible by the time she finished and she wouldn't meet anyone's eyes.

Adam closed his eyes for a moment, nodding slightly, then picked up the story again.

"They called the children the obtained 'Pretenders' and kept them isolated. Other than their handlers, the children rarely saw anyone else."

It was rapidly becoming clear to me why Adam was the one telling this story. Roslin had wrapped her good arm around herself. Her eyes were closed and her head bowed. Just listening was almost too much. There was no way she would have been able to tell it herself.

"The Centre educated these children, though they weren't allowed contact with the outside world. No live TV, intra- not internet, no phone calls. The objective, the reason they wanted these children, was to participate in simulations that ran the gamut from negotiations and rescues to combat situations and assassinations."

Even though I already knew all this, having confirmation that Roslin had been part of it made it difficult to stay detached. I crossed my arms and blanked my expression as best as I could.

"Most, but not all, of Roslin's simulations were negotiations of one sort or another. They didn't know about her mutation, but did recognize she had a talent for resolving issues between people."

Apparently the topic was making even my mentor uncomfortable. He'd started to pace, something he only does when thinking hard or upset.

"Those children grew up under the Centre's control. At least until one of them escaped. He made it his job to take down the Centre's board.. Now he runs the place and most of the consulting they do is for philanthropic cases. The Pretenders were given several options. Roslin chose to leave and find her own work but take occasional jobs from the Centre."

He settled, leaning against the counter and resting a hand on Roslin's shoulder.

"I recognized the card Brennan found in Roslin's things. Jarod and I met at a genetics conference about five years ago. I contacted him and he vouched for Roslin. She was hesitant about revealing her secrets."

Adam looked at all of us, serious and concerned.

"For obvious reasons, she's had to keep things secret. The government doesn't want the public knowing what the Centre was able to do any more than they want people to know about the GSA and mutants."

"Roslin's willing to answer some questions, but she's tried to put it behind her. If you need answers, she'll try to give them to you, but I think she could probably use some time to herself first."

Bren and Shal moved off to one side, talking quietly. Adam went to the coffeemaker. Before I even got up, Emma was speaking softly with Roslin. I moved into their line of sight, but stayed back.

"Jess, can you grab a beer or something for Roslin?"

Emma's question was soft and it was only a quick glance she threw my way. The request seemed a bit odd to me, but I nodded and headed for the fridge. I figured Emma would fill me in later.

We don't keep much alcohol in Sanctuary, but we're all legal so there are usually a couple of beers in the fridge. I grabbed one of the bottles and popped the cap before joining the two women.

Emma smiled, "Thanks, Jess."

Roslin was looking a bit on the pale side, and her smile was wan as I handed the bottle to her. Her thanks were quiet but genuine.

"Roslin just needs to detach a little. The Centre brings up too many emotions."

I nodded at Emma's explanation. One of the things I'd learned from Emma was that in moderate amounts, alcohol could dampen an empath's sensitivity to outside emotions and allow them to step away from their own emotions a bit. That was why I'd given Roslin the bourbon the day her abilities had overloaded. I remembered how much she'd had that evening and frowned slightly. I couldn't keep the concern out of my voice as I turned to Roslin.

"Is one going to be enough, Roslin?"

She lowered the bottle and looked at me for a moment before answering.

"It should be, Jess. I just need a little distance."

"Okay," I nodded though I was still a bit worried about this meeting was doing to her. "If you do need another one, you're eating something too."

Roslin grimaced at the mention of eating, a sign I'd already learned to associate with her stress level. I just shrugged slightly and turned to Emma.

"I'll head Adam off about the beer, Emma. I don't think Roslin needs to try to explain."

This time the smiles were both grateful. I smiled slightly in return and joined Adam before he had a chance to even push away from the counter.

"Before you say anything, Adam, Emma said Roslin needed to detach a bit if she was going to be able to answer any questions."

I caught my mentor off guard and he stopped long enough to think about what I'd said. After a moment he nodded, though not happily.

"Just make sure she doesn't over do it, Jess."

I had to chuckle at that.

"Adam, one or two beers is barely going to touch her, trust me."

He lifted a brow, no doubt wondering how I would know about Roslin's alcohol tolerance. The smile I gave him was crooked as I remembered. I didn't say much, but it was enough.

"The afternoon she overloaded."

He looked thoughtful but didn't say anything else. Instead, he started drifting back to the table.

I caught Emma's eye and she gave me a slight nod. It seemed Roslin was as ready was she likely to be. As I passed by to let Brennan and Shal know, I laid a hand on Roslin's shoulder and gave her a light squeeze of encouragement.

My team mates didn't rush back, but they didn't take their time. I followed, but passed the table, choosing to lean against the counter next to the refrigerator. From there, I could see Roslin, but still keep an eye on everyone else.

Shal took the seat closest to our guest, leaning forward slightly and I could tell she was in 'mama lion' mode. What Adam had told us had raised her natural protective instincts, no matter that Roslin was a few years older than she was.

"Honey, did you have any friends before Jarod took over?"

There was genuine curiosity in Shal's voice along with a bit of sadness.

"Not really. We were never allowed to get to know each other."

Roslin paused long enough to take a drink.

"There was one time. One of the other female Pretenders and I did a long term simulation together. We might have been friends, if the handlers had allowed it."

There was more than a bit of bitterness in those last words that overshadowed a hint of wistfulness. I don't know if Brennan picked up on it, or if it was just his innate dislike of authority, but he jumped on her mention the handlers.

"So these handlers were your teachers, surrogate parents, or what?"

The muscles around Roslin's eyes and jaw tightened slightly, but I think she realized Brennan's anger wasn't directed at her. After a moment, she relaxed with a sigh and shrugged her left shoulder.

"Depended on the handler. Mine was okay, I guess, but I wasn't really a person, much less a child, to him."

She finished off the bottle and set it to one side.

"He had a 'real' family to go home to. As long as we were healthy and cooperating, he didn't much care about anything else. That was pretty average. Jarod had a handler who treated him like family, at least as far as I understand it. But there were far worse handlers there too."

About halfway through her explanation, Roslin looked away from the rest of us and her voice became distant. I grabbed another beer from the fridge and took it over to her.

"Wait a minute. Didn't you say the Centre used to be in the building Genomex is in now, Adam?"

Brennan was frowning as he asked the question, and his frown only increased as Adam nodded.

"How in the hell did you manage to work there for two years without it getting to you, Roslin? It had to bring back some bad memories."

By the time Bren had finished, I'd switched the empty bottle for the new one. She looked at Brennan briefly before taking a long drink. Only then did she answer him.

"I didn't see much of the upper levels back then. We lived in the sub-levels. And Genomex redecorated the main levels anyway. So it wasn't as bad as it could have been. At least not until Eckhardt made me an agent."

She ran her thumb around the rim of the bottle.

"The GSA is opening up some of the sub-levels and they're not worried about redecorating them first. It wasn't the levels I was familiar with, but it was close enough to be uncomfortable."

Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath.. When she opened her eyes again, they were dark and troubled. It was apparent to me that her thoughts weren't with us anymore. I think everyone else realized it too.

No one said anything, but everyone except Emma quietly drifted away. I had a feeling Emma's plan was to get Roslin to her room, but I wanted to be sure Roslin ate something before she disappeared for the remainder of the evening.

I motioned Emma over and we had a short talk. My guess about my teammate's plans had been right, but she was willing to modify them slightly. Emma did get Roslin to her room, but I followed a few minutes later with a light meal. Emma and I stayed with her until she'd eaten about half of it, and then we let her have her privacy.


	19. Pressures

"Mr. Eckhart, sir?"

Eckhart peered over the top of his glasses at the GS agent who had just entered his office.

"We have a lead on Ms. Briggs. It's tentative, but we have reason to believe it will bear out given so time."

It was difficult to tell whether the agent was trying to save his own skin or if there really was a lead.

"What, precisely, is this lead, Mr. Thorne?"

Thorne took a deep breath before speaking

"As I said, Mr. Eckhart, it's a tentative lead. Among the belongings Ms. Briggs left behind, there was a package of custom blended tea. According to Dr. Harrison's analysis, it is medicinal in nature. The address of the apothecary is on the label."

Eckhart stared at his second-in-command long enough to make the agent uncomfortable before sighing slightly.

"A frail leaf to rest our hopes on, but I suppose it is better than nothing. Very well. Detail some agents to keep an eye on the place around the clock."

The GSA's leader leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers under his chin.

"Has Dr. Harrison determined how Ms. Briggs got by our screening process yet?"

"Dr. Harrison will not commit to a definitive answer sir, but he believes her mutation may be a natural one rather than a product of genetic manipulation."

Thorne shifted, his stance becoming more confident now that his employer's attention was on someone else's work.

"Since our process looks for the markers of manipulation, it would not pick up a natural mutation. Or so the good doctor has explained to me in detail."

Eckhart nodded, lips pursed as he contemplated the rather unhappy thought that there might be other natural anomalies working within the GSA and Genomex.

"Thank you, Mr. Thorne. That will be all for now."

* * *

The fact that the latest report on their missing subject had been submitted in writing was something Juliana Nolan found amusing. That said subject was still missing wasn't. Her people had located Rose Briggs' home, but the woman wasn't there. On the positive side, they had been able to find a few clues to follow-up on even though the house had already been searched by someone else.

They now knew what name she'd been using and where she'd been working. There were a few other bits of data they'd picked up as well, but those were less likely to pan out. Interesting where the woman had worked - obviously she had no idea who had been responsible for her new ability. Though Genomex was as good a guess as any, and better than most.

Juliana frowned. There was something about Genomex. There had been some rumors floating around the genetics community over the past several years, and Juliana was certain that Genomex had been mentioned in them. Time to do some research on the company and the people who ran it. She'd put a few researchers on it as well, but Juliana had a personal interest and resources they didn't.

It would also keep her busy and prevent her from doing something she might regret later.

* * *

It had been a little over a week since Adam had revealed the last of Roslin's secrets to the team. It should have lessened the pressure on her mental defenses and to some extent, it had. Unfortunately, the decrease was mostly negated by the fact that Adam still hadn't found a way to moderate the fluctuations in her telepathy. The way the telepathy strengthened and enhanced her empathy wasn't helping matters. It seemed to produce an exponential increase in her sensitivity - one Roslin's shields were having a hard time keeping up with.

She could still keep other people's emotions and thoughts out for the most part. When everyone was together for any length of time though, it cost her a near migraine to keep them out of her head. She'd already started avoiding gatherings when she could get away with it.

Roslin had stopped drinking coffee the previous day, after she'd had to resort to a second cup of the tea blend for stomach issues. She was starting to run low on all three of her teas and that was going to be a problem. Replacing them wasn't going to as simple as sending someone to the store.

Mr. Chin, the apothecary who blended the teas for her, was very careful about what he prescribed and who he prescribed it to. He wasn't going to blend a new batch for her and give to someone he didn't know for delivery. And getting Adam to agree to let her go pick it up was going to be a hard sell at best.

* * *

I'd been keeping a pretty close eye on Roslin since she and Adam told us about her past. Not in an obvious way, mind you. That would have defeated the purpose. I was hoping to see an improvement in the interactions between Roslin and the rest of the team, and hopefully a decrease in her stress levels.

I got the first. Although she was still avoiding being with us as a group for long periods of time, her interactions with all of us did seem less strained. Now that the others understood a bit about her past, they were more willing to trust her. And they had a better understanding when she didn't react or respond in the way they expected her to. Roslin still tended to become a slightly different person with each of us, but that was to be expected.

Unfortunately, while interpersonal relationships appeared to be causing less stress, Roslin's abilities seemed to be making up the difference and then some. She was spending more time with Adam, who, if I was reading him right, was feeling more than a bit frustrated. That meant that he wasn't making much, if any, headway on one or both of the things he and Roslin were working on. Ultimately, they were really the same thing, just different in context and scope. My mentor was hoping that by comparing her stable mutation side-by-side with the unstable telepathy mutation, he might find a way to stabilize not only Roslin's telepathy, but our mutations as well. Apparently her genetic structure was proving resistant to his efforts.

New Mutant DNA is unstable, something to do with the manipulations that were done to create it in the first place. It was a fact that we all lived with, and Adam did frequent scans and regular adjustments to ours so that the changes didn't get out of control. Occasionally, we'd have a more drastic change, or growth spurt, but so far Adam had been able to prevent our genetics from going completely off the rails.

He couldn't seem to get the fluctuations in Roslin's DNA to stop though - at least not the ones having to do with her telepathy. Since her telepathy was tied into her empathy somehow, the natural ability was affected as well. I was guessing that was putting added stress on her mental defenses.

Having seen her response to stress before, I knew some of the things to watch for. Roslin was doing a pretty good job of hiding it, but the little things were all too telling. I debated talking to her about it, but I had a feeling I wouldn't get a straight answer from her. I could let Adam know what I was seeing though. Even if there was nothing he could do, at least he'd be aware of the situation.

I timed it so that I arrived at the lab as Roslin was leaving. I flashed a smile at her as we passed each other, noting the way her return smile faltered slightly as she left the lab's EM field. It was an sign that I was right about the pressure her defenses were under.

Adam was busy saving and studying data. He didn't even notice I'd come in, so I leaned against the counter, crossed my arms and watched him for a minute or two. It didn't take long to see my mentor wasn't finding what he was looking for.

"Not making any progress with Roslin, are you?"

I pitched my voice to be heard but hopefully not startle Adam. His reaction told me he'd known someone else was in the lab, if not who. He tapped a few keys, studying the resulting screen for a moment before turning around with a sigh.

"No, not anything substantial, Jess. We've determined about when the genetic manipulation had to have occurred, but we're not having any luck stabilizing it."

Adam started pacing slowly. His lack of progress was disturbing him, and knowing my mentor, he was running through everything he'd already tried, attempting to see if he'd missed anything. He caught my gaze as he turned.

"At least Roslin seems to be handling the fluctuations without too much trouble."

I sighed at his words. Either Adam was being unusually unobservant, or Roslin was doing a very good job of hiding the difficulties she was having. I was betting on the latter.

"No so much, Adam. That's what I came to talk to you about."

I didn't bother to keep the concern out of my voice and when he stopped pacing, I met his eyes squarely.

"She hasn't said anything. But she wouldn't, would she?"

I shook my head slightly.

"No. She's starting to trust everyone, but she's not used to having help yet."

He pulled a chair close and sat down, arms crossed over his chest.

"What are you seeing that I'm not, Jess?"

I ticked items off as I mentioned them.

"She stopped drinking coffee a couple of days ago. She's not sleeping well. She's barely eating."

"Wait a sec, Jess," Adam was frowning. "She's eating. She joins us for dinner every night, so I know she's eating."

"Really? Keep an eye on her tonight. If it hasn't been too bad a day, she'll finish about half of what's on her plate. And dinner is the only time she's eating. I know for a fact she's skipping breakfast and only eats lunch if someone else is there."

Adam's frown deepened as he tried to remember the last few meals. I pressed my advantage.

"Two of her teas are almost gone. And she's starting to get antsy. She doesn't have a purpose here. We keep her busy, but it's not a job."

Now Adam was nodding slightly and I relaxed just a bit.

"I'll keep a closer watch and see if there's anything I can do. There may not be much though, Jess."

"I know."

I took a slow breath as I thought.

"But we should at least be able to find a way to dampen her sensitivity and hopefully that'll ease some of the pain."

I made a mental note to pick up some beer or something next time I went into the city. I knew it would help dampen Roslin's sensitivity, though I'd only suggest it as a last resort.

"I'll work on it. Why don't you get back to work."

I grinned to myself as I left the lab. I knew that tone of voice, and Adam was already working on the problem.

* * *

Another session with Adam, this time including a physical exam. Roslin sighed in relief when he didn't hand the sling back to her, instead telling her it was time to start rehabbing her shoulder. The length of time he studied her other scans made her a bit nervous. Eventually Roslin cleared her throat and asked a question she knew was going to result in a discussion.

"Can I go into the city now, Adam?"

He lifted a brow.

"It's still not safe, Roslin. One of the others can pick up anything you need."

Roslin sighed and shook her head.

"No, they can't. Mr. Chin won't hand my teas off to anyone he doesn't know. And I need them, Adam."

Adam turned to face her, leaning back against the counter and crossing his arms. He studied her for a long time, but none of his thoughts or emotions leaked out. Roslin was grateful for that. Finally he broke his silence.

"Call Mr. Chin and ask him if he'll let someone pick them up for you."

"Fine. You have a speaker phone around here somewhere? That way you can hear the whole thing."

Adam inhaled and shook his head slightly before turning back to the computer and hitting a few keys.

"Number?"

Roslin gave it to him, watching as he typed it in and then motioned her over to the computer. The conversation was short but it ended as Roslin had predicted. Mr. Chin would only hand over her 'prescriptions' to Roslin or someone he had met in her presence.

Adam knew the type - immigrant who had practice medicine professionally in his native country. He took his relationship with his clients seriously and he knew what he was doing. Sighing quietly, Adam realized there really wasn't any other option, since the teas did help Roslin more than most the conventional medications they'd tried. He didn't like it, but that didn't change the facts.

"All right. You can go the day after tomorrow, but Shal and Brennan go with you."

Roslin didn't argue. She was actually relieved. All she would have to worry about would be whether her defenses would hold up outside of Sanctuary. If something should happen, she wouldn't have to deal with it alone.

* * *

"Adam, I think maybe I should go with Roslin. Brennan or Shal can stay here."

Adam swiveled his chair around to look at me, obviously a bit surprised that I'd made the suggestion.

"Brennan and Shalimar can handle anything that might come up, Jesse."

"I know, Adam. I don't doubt that. But Roslin is more comfortable around me and her mental and emotional defenses are going to be under enough strain as it is."

Not to mention that I didn't trust Brennan to be on the lookout for trouble from any source other than the GSA. Adam and I might believe there was someone else after Roslin, and subconsciously at least she believed it too, but we didn't have any proof. The corporate types hadn't actually followed her anywhere or even seemed to recognize her.

"She needs to get more comfortable with other people, Jess. She'll do fine. Have a little faith in your team mates."

"Adam, they don't know what to watch out for."

It was a last effort to get him to change his mind, but it didn't seem to work.

"Brennan and Shalimar will take Roslin down to Chinatown tomorrow. End of discussion, Jesse."

Adam didn't even wait for me to respond before swiveling his chair back around and going back to work on whatever I'd interrupted.

I hesitated before leaving, but it was pointless to argue. Adam had made up his mind. I still thought he was wrong, and I couldn't shake the feeling that he and I were both going to regret his decision. I hoped, for Roslin's sake, that I was wrong.


	20. Conflict and Capture

Roslin was up early on the designated day. She dressed carefully, taking momentary pleasure in being able to pull her hair into a ponytail without help. Her shoulder twinged, but it was worth the minor pain to be able to use her arm again.

Her apprehension over leaving Sanctuary was not so easy to put aside. Adam thought she was overly eager to get out of the Mutant X headquarters, and she had to admit it would be nice to see some different surroundings. The truth was that Roslin was worried about being out in public. Not to mention that the GSA was still looking for her. She didn't think they could track her to the apothecary shop, but she'd been wrong before. At least she wouldn't be alone.

Running through a couple of relaxation and centering exercises helped. Then it was time to head for the kitchen. A cup of her rapidly diminishing tea was in order to ease the slight headache already forming. Roslin was hoping Mr. Chin might have something stronger for those occasions when her current tea didn't help, but she hadn't asked him over the phone. She didn't want Adam asking even more questions.

A second cup of tea helped disguise that she was pushing food around her plate more than eating. She didn't really have much of an appetite, but most of the team was gathered, so skipping breakfast wasn't an option. As they ate, she double-checked her mental shields. She didn't want anything coming in, and she definitely didn't want any of her emotions or thoughts getting out. Keeping her shields that tight was going to give her a killer headache, but she didn't want anyone, especially Emma or Jess, picking up on her unease.

Adam insisted on giving her a once-over before letting them leave. He spent several minutes studying the scan results, and then several more studying her, before he finally let her go. He didn't say anything, but Roslin was guessing that the extra stress was reflecting somehow on the advanced scans. She was more than happy when he released her, and she made her way down to the garage as quickly as she could.

Brennan and Shalimar were waiting for her. Impatience turned to amusement as she explained the reason for the delay. Both new mutants had been on the receiving end of Adam's exams on more than one occasion. They loaded into the car, Roslin taking the backseat. It was close to a two-hour drive, and she was hoping to catch a little more sleep on the way.

* * *

Shalimar had noticed the signs of tension and lack of sleep when Roslin finally joined them in the garage. It made her wonder about the results of the exam that had delayed the other woman, but she didn't say anything. Instead she kept an eye and ear on the back seat - not a difficult thing to do given her mutation. When she was sure Roslin was asleep, she keyed her comlink open.

"Adam?"

"Here, Shalimar. What's up?

Mutant X's leader sounded distracted, no doubt by whatever research he was doing.

"Is everything okay with Roslin?"

Shalimar's question caused Brennan to cast a quick, somewhat confused, glance in her direction before he returned his attention to the road. Adam's answer was slow in coming.

"Based on her scans, her abilities are causing her more trouble than she's admitting to. It's not anything to worry about at this point, but I'll be keeping an eye on it."

Shalimar's eyes narrowed. She'd know Adam long enough to know he wasn't telling her something. Unfortunately, she also knew him well enough to know that trying to pry it out of him was a waste of time.

"Okay. We'll check in later, Adam."

"Keep your eyes open. I don't expect you'll have any trouble, but you never know."

"Will do."

Shalimar shut the connection down and stared out the window for several minutes.

"Something's not right, Brennan. Adam's not telling us something."

Brennan raised an eyebrow as he glanced at her.

"Since when does Adam ever tell us everything, Shal? Besides, if he really thought there'd be trouble, do you think he'd have let us take the car?"

He had a point and Shal shrugged before turning the conversation to something lighter to pass the time. She'd still be keeping a close eye out when they got into town. Call it feral instinct or a hunch, but something just felt wrong to her.

* * *

Roslin blinked blearily as Shalimar leaned over the front seat to wake her. They were just entering Chinatown so she had a few minutes to get her wits about her. By the time Brennan parked the car, not a half block from the apothecary, Roslin was fully awake and alert. Shalimar insisted on accompanying her to the shop, but Brennan was content to stay with the car, leaning against it with a casual, fully male grace and a roguish grin.

The bells on the door chimed as Roslin entered the shop. Light streamed through the windows, illuminating the shop, and scents, from earthy to sharp assaulted her nose. It took a minute for her eyes to adjust to the dimness and another for her to locate the older Chinese man behind the counter.

"Mr. Chin!"

Roslin smiled as she crossed the floor to join him. He greeted her with a friendly enough smile, but she could tell she was in for a discussion. Roslin sighed, but there was no help for it. Mr. Chin was a man who cared deeply for his clients. It was after all the reason she'd had to come down in person to pick her teas up.

He was concerned about her request since it had been such a short time since she'd picked up the last batch. Normally her teas lasted longer, a fact he knew well. That meant explaining that she no longer had access to some of her stock and accounting for the increased stress levels she'd been experiencing.

The apothecary had never given Roslin any reason to believe he knew about mutants, but he did seem to attribute her sensitivity to other people's feelings as an extreme form of instinct, and he was able to account for it in the medicinal blends he created for her. She explained that her sensitivity had increased and asked if he could give her something stronger for occasional use.

The older man studied her with the same look Adam had given her that morning. This time she didn't try to hide anything. After a long moment, he nodded slowly.

In the end, Roslin walked out with four packages of tea, along with Mr. Chin's stern warning about using the newest of them too often. She assured him she would be careful and slipped through the door, blinking against the sunlight. Shalimar was waiting, studying the area as Roslin's eyes adjusted.

"Damn. We need to get back to the car. Now."

The feral's voice was low but intense as she studied the reflections in the shop window.

"Might be coincidence, or not, but we've got GSA across the street. Damned if I know how they could have found you, but I can't come up with any other reason for them to be down here."

Roslin felt a moment of panic as adrenaline flooded her system. Checking the contents of her bag let her take a discreet look at the agents across the street - no, they were crossing the street now. She closed the bag just as Shalimar grabbed her left arm and tugged her into a run towards Brennan and the car.

Despite working out under Shalimar's guidance, Roslin wasn't up to keeping pace with a feral. She stumbled before they were a quarter of the way down the street. She went down, at least managing to roll and avoid hurting herself, but it gave the GS agents time to catch up with her.

She put up a fight, and a better one than she would have been able to just a week or two before, but it wasn't enough. One of the agents grabbed her right arm, using it to swing her into the wall of the building. Just before her head impacted the wall, she felt something in her shoulder tear. Blackness rushed toward her as quickly as the ground did, and she was only vaguely aware of the sub-dermal governor being implanted before she lost consciousness.

The GSA wasn't taking any chances. Shalimar was fighting off four agents, another two rushing down the street to join in. Brennan zapped on of hem and then he was on their radar as well. Six agents were overkill for one mutant, but not for two. Brennan and Shalimar made quick work of them, but not quick enough. They cleared the way just in time to see a lone agent throw an unconscious Roslin into the backseat of an SUV. The agent slipped in beside her and the door slammed shut as the driver floored it.

Brennan and Shalimar looked at each other in dismay, both trying to figure out how to tell Adam... and Jess.

* * *

Worry and anger had me pacing the length of Sanctuary's common space. It was all I could do to stay calm and I was afraid I might lose it if I so much as looked at anyone else. I should have been there, should have insisted and not let Adam convince me to stay behind. I ran a hand though my hair, probably messed up enough already to cause amusement under other circumstances. Finally I stopped moving and exhaled sharply.

"Adam, we can't leave her there. GSA custody is bad enough, but Eckhart is going to want her blood. She betrayed him and the GSA... **and **she's a mutant. He's not going to be content to just put her in a stasis pod. And he doesn't even know about her empathy."

Brennan was refusing to meet anyone's eyes, a brooding expression on his face. Emma was sitting in a corner, hardly paying attention. I could hardly fault her though, if she was 'listening' for Roslin and trying to find her. Shal was feeling guilty, avoiding both me and Bren by prowling the edges of the area like the feline her abilities came from. She'd at least had the presence of mind to grab Roslin's bag and check the scene before she and Brennan returned.

I heard Adam sigh and finally turned to look at him. My mentor seemed to have aged considerably in the last two hours. He covered his face with his hands for a moment, and inhaled running both hands through his hair.

"We're not going to leave her there, Jess. But the first thing we need to do is find out which facility they took her to. I want you, Shal, and Brennan on the computers. Get into the Genomex systems, find out where they took her and what security they've got on her. Emma, see if you can connect with her empathically. I guarantee they put a sub-dermal governor on her so her telepathy wont be available. Shal said Roslin was unconscious and she found blood, so it might be awhile before you can reach her."

The computers. Again. The anger rose again and I moved with it, resuming my pacing. Brennan just nodded, expression and posture reflecting defeat even as he moved to the closest computer. Shal sighed but stopped prowling and headed for her favorite workstation. Emma was already wandering absently towards Roslin's room where she would get the strongest sense of the other woman to try to connect with. Adam was watching me - I could tell even without looking at him.

Roslin needed help now, not however many hours from now it took us to find out where she was. Of course, we couldn't help her without that information. And I was the best hacker in Sanctuary. Bren and Shal were pretty good, but there was a reason I did most of the computer work. As much as I wanted to be 'doing' something, the best use of my skills was working the computers. I stopped pacing and exhaled slowly, unclenching my fists. I glanced at Adam before heading up to the second level and my favorite computer station. No doubt my feelings were clear from my expression, and that would tell Adam just how upset I really was.

xxxxx

Adam watched as the team scattered, displaying various levels of guilt and determination. It was better than brooding guilt and anger, at least it got them moving. Well, most of them. Jess was pacing again Maybe he should have let the molecular be one of Roslin's escorts, but there was no guarantee things would have turned out any different, leaving Jess beating himself up with guilt even more than he was.

To say Jess was upset was an understatement. Adam was surprised the young man hadn't laid into Brennan. He'd known about their discussion in the dojo, watching to make sure he didn't have to step in. There was no doubt in Adam's mind that Jesse was wondering if Brennan had really tried as hard as he could to protect Roslin.

Even with that in mind, Jess was more upset than his mentor expected. It seemed the molecular felt more responsibility for the woman he had befriended than Adam had realized. That could be good or bad, but Adam was sure yet.

While Adam was musing, Jesse appeared to have gotten a hold of himself. He was still upset, the look he flashed Adam's direction made that obvious. Near panic floated below the calm, but that's where Jesse would keep it as long as he had a mission to complete. That left Adam to pursue his end of things and he headed to the lab.

The first order of business was to look at the teas Roslin had dropped, though he didn't think he was going to like what he found if his suspicions were born out. The first three teas were exactly what he expected. They were the same as the blends that currently sat in the kitchen. The last tea was the one he was worried about.

That fourth blend was new. It was considerably stronger than the other two. It's chemical makeup would make it particularly effective based on Roslin's genetics. That Roslin had asked for it didn't surprise Adam overly much - the results of the scans this morning had been enough to make him suspect she'd ask the apothecary for something stronger. What did surprise him was that she'd gotten it and that what she'd gotten would be so effective.

Effective if she was here to to use it. Adam had no idea if a governor would affect Roslin's ability to shield herself from others emotions now that her telepathic and empathic defenses were integrated. He hoped they'd hold up or Roslin was going to be suffering just being near Eckhart and his people.


	21. Embers

Roslin woke slowly, the first thing she felt being a sharp, throbbing ache above her left eye. Light stabbed into her brain, making seconds feel like hours until her eyes adjusted to the dim illumination. Every time she blinked, her vision blurred briefly. She laid there for what seemed like forever, trying to evaluate her condition. She was laying on her back, on a hard surface. A sub-dermal governor pressed into the back of her neck, and Roslin vaguely remembered feeling it being implanted. If only it would work on her empathy as well as telepathy.

Her thoughts were disconnected, forming slowly, but eventually Roslin realized she'd rather not face whatever was coming flat on her back. She started to sit up, but a searing pain engulfed her right shoulder. She couldn't help the gasp that escaped, and she closed her eyes tightly until the worst of the pain faded. Only then did she attempt sitting up again. This time she managed, but she spent several minutes curled up around the injured shoulder.

Between her head and her shoulder, Roslin found it hard to think. Her thoughts were moving sluggishly even when she could hold on to them. All too many simply slipped away. Roslin knew that wasn't good. Something told her it was worse than not good.

Finally her vision stopped blurring, as long as she didn't move her head too quickly. Roslin scanned the room. There was something about the gray concrete walls and tiled floor. Something she should know. When the thought, memory really, arrived, it slammed into her mind with a force that left her gasping for breath. The Centre... the holding rooms at the Centre.

Roslin's breathing slowed long before thought caught up with memory. When it finally did, it did nothing to ease her fear. It wasn't the Centre she was in, not anymore. It was Genomex, or rather the GSA since they were the ones opening and using the sub-levels. That meant she was in trouble, but she couldn't figure out what to do about it. No doubt Eckhart had plans for how to make her atone for betraying him. He didn't know her ability would make just being around him or Thorne into torture.

Roslin knew she had to do something. After doing her best to put her thoughts in order, she attempted to run through some of the centering exercises she'd learned. They seemed to help a little, at least in focusing her thoughts. If she could get herself focused enough, could she reach out to Emma? It wasn't likely she'd manage it, but what if she did? It would be worth any pain the effort might cause.

Her efforts came to an abrupt halt, dropping her back into the reality of her here and now, when the door opened.

Roslin's stomach lurched at the sight of Thorne and at the twisted satisfaction and sadistic enjoyment he was feeling.

"Ms. Briggs. How nice of you to return to us. Mr. Eckhart was quite disappointed when you left."

"No doubt." Roslin's voice wasn't as strong as she wanted it to be, but it wasn't shaking. And her sarcasm came through clearly enough.

Thorne smiled coldly.

"He had high hopes for you. Now that he knows just how special you really are, his hopes have changed somewhat, but his expectations are still high."

She held tight to her thoughts, refusing to let them slip away and give Thorne any clue just how badly off she was.

"I'm guessing he was a bit miffed to learn I was one of the 'anomalies' he hunts down."

"He did mention something to that effect." Thorne nodded at the door. "Come on or you'll be late for your appointment."

Roslin's heart stopped for second. Her thoughts raced frantically, trying to find a way to stall. Finally something came, but at the cost of a stabbing headache joining the existing ache in her head. It was almost all she could do to keep it from showing.

"You might want to let me clean up a little, Thorne. Eckhart has a thing about germs."

The agent's lips thinned at the way she addressed him, but then he smirked and Roslin felt her heart sink.

"If your appointment was with Mr. Eckhart, I might allow it. But there's no need since your appointment is with Dr. Harrison. He was most insistent that you be brought to him as soon as possible."

Roslin thought she might vomit then and there. Her eyes closed and she swallowed against rising bile. Thorne was obviously enjoying this and she refused to give him the satisfaction of seeing how terrified she was.

You couldn't work at Genomex and not know who Dr. Kenneth Harrison was. As Genomex's chief bio-geneticist, everyone knew of him. Most employees had heard at least rumors of the kinds of experiments he ran. No doubt Eckhart had put the doctor in charge of finding out how Roslin had slipped through the genetic screening all Genomex employees were subject to.

It took the help of the wall to get to her feet, and once she was there she wasn't certain for several seconds that she could remain standing. Feeling Thorne's amusement gave her just enough strength. The room still seemed to spin crazily and even closing her eyes didn't help at first. A couple of deep breaths did seem to help though and slowly the vertigo faded until she was able to open her eyes again.

The world was still trying to tilt and spin, making her first few steps shaky, but soon she adapted to the sensation. She was shaking inside, off-balance in so may ways, but there was no way she was going to let Thorne see that. As much as the idea of being one of Harrison's experiments scared Roslin, she knew that it would be easier to be around him than Thorne. Rumor had it that Harrison was completely unemotional when it came to his test subjects. At least he was unlikely to cause her emotional pain, unlike Thorne or Eckhart.

The secure lab Thorne led her to was in an area of the building she was unfamiliar with, but she'd expected as much. New GS agents were only allowed in the upper sub-levels. She and the other Pretenders had been housed in the lower sub-levels. The area in between she'd never seen. Thorne opened the door, ushering her in with a mocking bow. He followed, closing the door and remaining in front of it. He must have thought she was stupid if he thought she was going to try to escape. It tool all of Roslin's concentration just to walk straight and keep her thoughts from slipping away. And that didn't even take the sub-dermal governor into account. Even as scattered as her mind was, she wasn't that out of it!

"Ms. Briggs, Mr. Eckhart has told me some very interesting things about you. Please sit down and let my assistants get you prepped. You will be subject Alpha-1 for these tests and experiments."

Dr. Kenneth Harrison was thin, almost to the point of emaciation, but otherwise completely forgettable. Unless you were a mutant. It wasn't that the man took joy in causing pain. It was that his research subjects might have been bugs as far as he was concerned. They weren't people to him. Any pain a test subject felt was only important as a measurement that proved or disapproved his current working hypothesis.

Harrison's assistants were surprisingly gentle as they cleaned the cut above her left eye and evaluated her shoulder. Faint feelings of pity and sympathy filtered through the pain in head. The assistants knew their boss all too well. At least this session shouldn't be too bad - Harrison needed to establish a baseline to compare his experiment results with. That was as far as Roslin could think at the moment.

Thorne finally seemed to realize she wasn't going to try anything and he reluctantly handed the governor control over to Harrison. In return he received a rather absent dismissal from the doctor, which didn't improve his mood any as he left. Roslin barely noticed. She'd already closed her eyes and was trying, as much as her wandering thoughts and physical condition would let her, to focus and raise her mental walls a bit higher. A hovering presence caused her to open her eyes, only to find Harrison studying her.

* * *

We were all on edge. There had been enough time since the busted raid for Genomex to revise their security, so getting into their systems took longer than usual. Most of my hacks had been cleared out. Once we did get in, our searches came up empty. I was frustrated, and I'm pretty sure the others were too. Even Emma didn't seem to be having any better luck, since she hadn't reappeared from wherever she'd gone. I couldn't help growling under my breath as another search came up empty.

I started at the screen for a while before it hit me. Inhaling sharply, I looked over my search parameters before activating my com-link.

"Guys, what name are you searching for? Are you looking for Roslin Britton?"

Bren and Shal both confirmed that was the name they'd been searching for and I nodded to myself.

"The GSA doesn't know her under that name. They only know her as Rose Briggs. Rerun your searches under that name. I'm going to get into the security video and see if I can find out where and when they brought her in."

I heard my team mates groan as they realized what should have been obvious. They dove back into their searches with renewed energy though and finally began to get some results. After narrowing down the time, based on when the GSA had grabbed Roslin, I was starting to find some information as well. It took time, but less than it could have, before I found the footage of Roslin's arrival at the main Genomex facility.

It was anything but reassuring, given that she was unconscious, but we'd known that was likely. Unfortunately, it was the main facility they'd taken her to. Somehow I didn't think they'd be keeping her in any of the areas we were already familiar with. Hopefully the video feeds would help me figure out how to get to her.

"She's awake. It's just emotions, so I'm pretty sure Adam's right about the governor."

Emma's voice drew my attention away from the feeds. I hit pause as she came up the stairs. She had a slight air of distraction, which meant she still had some connection with Roslin. Emma's pace faltered and she stumbled to a stop, closing her eyes for a moment. When she opened them, the look she shot in my direction was full of alarm.

"Oh my god. Harrison. . ."

That name, while Emma was in contact with Roslin, could only mean one thing. Roslin was in Harrison's hands. I cursed out loud. I have a history with the good doctor and it took me a minute to get a handle on my feelings and refocus.

I flashed a tight smile at Emma and dove back into the security feeds, tracing the pathways to the secure area feeds. The were better protected, but once I found them, getting in was just a matter of time and attention. It might take all night, but I would crack them. In the meantime, Brennan and Shal worked on mapping out the 'non-secured' areas of Genomex, so that we wouldn't be going in blind.

It took too long, but I eventually found the right feed. As soon as I saw Roslin, I slowed the playback to normal speed. The room had to be in one of the sub-levels she had told us about. I was able to follow the feeds from camera to camera as Thorne, a familiar face, escorted her to Harrison's lab.

Roslin wasn't in good shape. From how unsteady she was on her feet, I was guessing she had a concussion. It looked like something had happened to her shoulder. I don't know how long I stared at the images, but it took everything I had to look away and get back to tracing the feeds.

It took time and concentration. I had to follow the guards from camera to camera, mapping out the route from the areas we knew to Roslin's cell and Harrison's lab. I couldn't skip the details - the route itself wasn't enough. I had to note all the security measures as well. Knowing the route would do us no good if we tripped an alarm along the way. I could feel the anxiety and tension from my team mates and that didn't make the job any easier. I was putting the finishing touches on the map when Adam startled me, leaning over my shoulder to take a look.

"Upload it to the simulator and let's see what we're up against, Jess."

I did what he asked, but all I could see, now that job was done, was Roslin's condition in the feeds.

* * *

Roslin was cooperating with all the tests Harrison was running. Truth be told, her head was spinning and her thoughts too scattered to do much else. At least there was emotional quiet in the lab. She'd take that for as long as she could get it.

A wash of perverse pleasure and hatred swept into the room, causing Roslin to open her eyes. After blinking a few times, her vision cleared enough for her to find the source. An observation window was visible above her, and she felt Mason Eckhart on the other side. She didn't have enough control to stop the shudder of revulsion. It earned her a rebuking look from Harrison as he attached a sensor to her temple. The emotions coming from Eckhart made her want to throw up, and Roslin had no doubt that it was showing up on the doctor's scans.

She closed her eyes again, trying to focus enough to block the emotions out. Just as suddenly as they'd come, they disappeared. She let out a slow breath hoping the tests were almost over. Somehow she still had to find a way to escape, but she needed quiet and concentration to even start working on it.

* * *

The phone on Juliana Nolan's desk blinked and she picked up the handset.

"Mr. Eckhart, this is Juliana Nolan with Paragon Research Group."

"Ms. Nolan, how can I help you?"

Eckhart's voice contained a trace of impatience.

"I believe we share a mutual interest in one of your former employees. One Rose Briggs?"

Juliana kept the irritation out of her voice, at least for the moment.

"Oh? And just what interest could we share in someone I no longer employ?"

A hint of curiosity touched the voice that was straining to remain bored.

"I believe Ms. Briggs exhibited some unusual abilities in the course of leaving your employment, Mr. Eckhart. Abilities that you, as the head of the GSA, can not help but be interested in."

"You are very well-informed, Ms. Nolan. It is true that the termination of her employment was both unexpected and involved certain elements we were unaware of at the time."

"Elements that Paragon Research is responsible for, Mr. Eckhart."

Juliana kept her voice even, but her smile was smug as she continued.

"Ms. Briggs is part of a study we began a few years ago. She was a blind participant, unaware that we did some adjusting to her genetic structure. We would very much like to have her returned to us so that the study can be completed. We would, of course, be happy to share all information from the study with you."

"I might be interested in your proposal if I had Ms. Briggs in my custody, Ms. Nolan. Unfortunately, that does not happen to be the case."

"But it does, Mr. Eckhart. My people were attempting to locate her when they saw a GS agent take her into custody. They followed the vehicle to Genomex."

A bit of satisfaction leaked into the woman's voice despite her efforts to disguise it. Juliana heard the displeased sigh before Eckhart replied.

"Very well, Ms. Nolan. Ms. Briggs is indeed in our custody. However, my chief bio-geneticist is currently in the process of determining how she passed our genetic scans when she was hired."

"Dr. Harrison is more than welcome to observe and assist. His reputation precedes him. And if he can not attend physically, we would be more than happy to set up a video link for his use."

"You make a most compelling argument, Ms. Nolan, except for one matter. Mr. Briggs betrayed Genomex and the GSA. We can not allow that to happen without consequence."

Juliana allowed a small amount of amusement color her voice.

"Oh, if consequences are what you desire, Mr. Eckhart, I think letting Paragon have her will suit. From what my people tell me, the tests and experiments they intend to run will be quite painful. It is my understanding that they do not believe the test subject will survive the process. And, as I said, we are more than willing to share all our records, written and video, with you."

"Well now, that does put a different light on the subject, Ms. Nolan."

Juliana smiled, knowing by his voice that she had him hooked.

"We will take full responsibility for Ms. Briggs, including coming to Genomex to retrieve her. We can discuss the details when I arrive and set up a data link so you can track the test results in real-time."

"I trust I will be seeing you soon then, Ms. Nolan."

Mason Eckhart hung up and dialed the extension for Harrison's lab.

"Dr. Harrison, finish whatever test you are doing and then return Ms. Briggs to her room. Report to my office when that is done."


	22. Into the Fire

The tests stopped abruptly and one of Harrison's assistants took Roslin back to her cell. The good doctor was less than pleased, which meant that the decision wasn't his. A part of Roslin's mind noted the fact, but it was a distant thought amidst pain and nausea.

Once the door to her cell closed, Roslin took a brief look around. Concrete walls and floor, just as she'd thought. No furnishing but the concrete ledge that served as sitting and sleeping area. What she wanted most was to lay down and go to sleep, but she couldn't. Eckhart had something in store for her or she'd still be in Harrison's lab. Even if that wasn't the case, the way she felt meant she probably had a concussion, which was another reason not to go to sleep. Instead she sat down on the ledge and leaned against the wall. Actual meditation probably wasn't going to happen, but maybe she could manage to detach a little while she waited for whatever was going to happen.

Roslin did manage to find an unthinking state. There was no way of knowing how long it lasted before the sound of the door lock pulled her back to awareness. As the door swung open, Roslin straightened up as best she could. Thorne stepped through, holding it open for Eckhart. No surprise there. A split second later, a third person stepped into the room and Roslin's breath caught.

She heard the door close, but it didn't register. Roslin was trying to make sense of the woman now standing next to Eckhart.

"Juliana?" The name was just barely audible.

The woman smiled coldly and Roslin's heart sunk even lower.

"I see you still remember me, Roslin. Or should I call you Rose?"

Roslin sighed, closing her eyes briefly. Of all the things she'd expected from Eckhart, showing up with a memory from her past wasn't one of them.

"I see the two of you are already acquainted. Ms. Nolan has made some compelling arguments to transfer you to her custody, Ms. Briggs. Or whatever your name is."

Roslin could feel Eckhart's amusement and satisfaction. Juliana wasn't letting much out, but Roslin did get a sense of satisfaction tinged with anticipation. There would be no help from that direction - in fact, it appeared she might be going from the frying pan into the fire.

"I'm inclined to let her have you. Her plans for you sound ever so much more appropriate than Dr. Harrison's. And since her company is responsible for your anomaly, it seems proper to let them deal with you."

Shock pierced her mind. Juliana was responsible for her telepathy? Roslin inhaled sharply. The shock was followed rapidly by the realization that things were far worse than she'd imagined. Jesse and Adam had been right. Someone other than Genomex had been trying to find her, for reasons just as bad.

"Would you care to see how the sub-dermal governor works, Ms. Nolan?"

Eckhart's question was the only warning Roslin had before pain exploded in her head. Blackness quickly followed.

* * *

It took time, too much time to run the simulations and formulate a plan to get Roslin out of Genomex. It was necessary, and we all knew it, but every minute Roslin was in the GSA's custody, in Harrison's hands, was a minute too many. Finally, we were in the Double Helix, headed for Genomex. Getting into the building wouldn't be a problem. Getting into, and out of, the secured area was another matter.

Adam stayed with the stealthed Helix. Brennan, Shal, and Emma headed for the secure area while I headed for security. Phasing into the security center, I was relieved to find only one very bored guard. Disabling him was a relatively simple task, and then I was able to bring up the video feeds. It only took a few seconds to find the one showing Roslin's cell.

The feed came up on the screens and I double-checked to make sure it was the correct one before activating my com-link. The cell was empty, which meant the others needed to head for Harrison's lab. While they did that, I started downloading any files that contained information about Roslin. I also ran a quick scan on the audio and video feeds from Eckhart's office. We learned a long time ago that Mason Eckhart was paranoid enough to have his own office bugged.

I wasn't surprised when my scan highlighted an audio file, until I realized what it was. As I listened to the phone conversation, I found myself hoping it was fake, but my fingers flew across the keyboard, initiating a search I hoped would come up empty. It didn't. I swore.

Activating my com-link, I told the others to get back to the Helix.

"Jess, we're almost there. We haven't run into any trouble."

Brennan sounded annoyed.

"She's not there, Bren! Get out now. Eckhart had her taken someplace else. I'll explain back at the Helix."

I finished downloading the files, disconnecting and pocketing the flash drive before heading back to the Helix myself. The others got there a minute or two after I did, but I waited until we were in the air before filling them in.

"Okay, guys. I found a recording of a call Eckhart got from Juliana Nolan with Paragon Research Group."

As I spoke, I was typing search parameters into the Helix's up-link with Sanctuary.

"She claimed Roslin was one of their test subjects. She also managed to convince Eckhart to hand her over in return for copies of all the data from their research."

I paused, running a hand through my hair before looking at my team mates. I didn't even try to keep the anger and defeat from my voice when I continued.

"Roslin was transferred to their custody two hours ago."

Shock and confusion were the primary expressions on my friends' faces. Except Adam's. He was drumming his fingers on the arm of his seat and muttering under his breath. I wanted to ask what he knew, or thought he knew, but I was all too familiar with this behavior. Adam was chasing down a memory or thought, putting bits and pieces of information together. It would be pointless to try to get anything out of him until he succeeded. I turned my attention back to my searches instead.

By the time we got back to Sanctuary, I'd found all the public information available on Paragon Research Group and one Juliana Nolan. Obviously, the information available for public consumption was no where near the reality, but it was someplace to start. At least it had kept my mind busy during the flight.

Adam headed straight for his office without a word to any of us. We watched him go but none of us tried to stop him.

I exchanged glances with Brennan and sighed. After a moment I gave Shal a half-smile.

"Go prowl or something, Shal."

She hadn't gotten any action at Genomex and she'd spent most the day in front of a computer. Her feral side needed some physical activity. She disappeared almost silently after flashing a grateful smile in my direction. I just rubbed the back of my neck, trying to figure out what my next step should be.

"I'll see if I can find her again, Jess. If she's awake, at least we'll have something."

Emma had anticipated me. I was glad I didn't have to ask. It occurred to me that by volunteering, she would also be getting herself away from the frustration and anger we were all feeling, and that could only be a good thing for her. I thanked her and watched as she headed toward Roslin's room.

"Let me guess. That leaves the two of us to search for info, right bro?"

Brennan's voice and the slap to my shoulder startled me out of my thoughts. I nodded, but he was already headed for a computer.

"So fill me in on what you found on the way back and we can get started."

* * *

Adam waited impatiently for Jarod to pick up the other end of the connection, fingers tapping on the desk. He had a suspicion and Jarod was the only person who could confirm or deny it. He also owed it to the other man to tell him what had happened to Roslin. Finally the other end of the call connected and Adam took a deep breath.

"Adam, I hope this is important. I'm trying to juggle several things at once."

Adam nodded.

"It is, Jarod. I promise I won't take too much of your time."

Adam tapped steepled forefingers against his chin for a moment before exhaling.

"Were any of the original Pretenders named Juliana?"

"Yes." The single word was drawn out and Jarod was giving Adam a peculiar look.

"I don't even have to look it up. There were only four female Pretenders in the original group. Why? And how's Roslin doing? I expected to hear from her again by now."

Adam closed his eyes and sighed. After a moment, he looked at Jarod again.

"That's why I'm calling, Jarod. Roslin went out to Chinatown with two of my people. Somehow the GSA found out and managed to grab her. We went to get her, but she's already been transferred to someone else's custody."

"Juliana." Jarod's voice was curiously flat.

Adam nodded, silent for a moment.

"One Juliana Nolan, Chief Operating Officer of Paragon Research Group. Jesse's doing some research on it now, but I'm fairly certain the public picture is a far cry from the reality."

"I'll get Broots to see what he can find."

Jarod's tone was somewhat distracted as he continued clicking keys for another minute or two. After studying the results, he looked back at Adam.

"Do you have room for one more, Adam?"

Surprise showed on Adam's face.

"Yes, but we've got a handle on things, Jarod."

Jarod gave him a grim smile that had nothing of humor in it.

"There's some history between Juliana and Roslin. I don't think it's coincidence that Juliana happened to find her. Can you have someone pick me up at the nearest private airport? Which would be?"

"Eastborough Civic. You're coming yourself?"  
Jarod nodded, keys clicking again. He glanced at another screen.

"I should be there in about four hours."

"I'll have my people waiting for you, Jarod." Adam met the other man's eyes. "We'll find her."

* * *

Brennan and Jesse had been at the computers for about an hour when Shalimar returned from prowling. There was still a sense of leashed violence about the feral, but she had it under control. She was just sitting down at one of the computers when Adam entered the common area.

"Shalimar, grab a quick shower. I need you and Brennan to meet someone down at Eastborough Civic."

Shalimar frowned and started to ask something, but Adam gestured for her to get going.

"Go, you don't have much time. Our guest will be at the airport in about three hours."

Brennan looked between Adam and Shalimar, then shunted his search results to Jesse's station without being asked.

"I'll make sure the car is good to go, Adam."

The older man nodded, taking the stairs two at a time up to Jesse's station. Once there, he pulled a chair over and took a seat just within the molecular's peripheral vision. He waited, a bit impatiently, for Jess to acknowledge his presence. He used the time to study the younger man, not liking what he saw.

After several minutes, Jess finally spoke without taking his attention away from the data in front of him. His voice was a bit flat, an indication of how focused he was.

"Who are they going to pick up, Adam?"

Adam sighed. He'd been hoping for Jesse' undivided attention, but he recognized this behavior. It was one of Jess' defense mechanisms when his emotions were running too close to the surface.

"Jarod. He knows both Roslin and Juliana."

The blonde's head turned slowly from the screen to him as Jess made the connection. His next words just confirmed it.

"Julian is a Pretender too, isn't she? And I'm guessing..." His voice trailed off as the blue eyes went distant with thought for a minute. Then he sighed, hand leaving the keyboard to fidget with his earlobe. "There's some history between Roslin and Juliana, isn't there?"

Adam nodded now that he had Jess' attention, running his hands through his hair and linking them behind his neck. Leaning back, he looked at the ceiling for a moment.

"Jarod said there is, but he didn't give me any details. Whatever it is, he's concerned enough to make the trip out here himself and that worries me. How'd you know?"

Jesse's voice was grim.

"The phone call with Eckhart. She was a little too pleased with the probable outcome."

The scientist blew out a breath as he sat up, unlinking his hands and resting his elbows on his knees.

"Well, what have you got so far?"

Jess shook his head slightly, refocusing his attention on the screens, blue eyes scanning the data once more.

"Umm, yeah. At first glance Paragon Research Group is exactly what it seems to be."

A slight smile touched Adam's lips because he knew that tone of voice. Jess had found something. "But?" he prompted the younger man.

"But, when you dig a little deeper," he hit a few keys and brought up several documents. "You find this."

Jess removed his hands from the keyboard and his fingers tapped the arm of his chair. There was a serious and worried cast to his voice when he continued.

"Adam, behind that legitimate front, Paragon looks an awful lot like Genomex and a civilian version of the GSA. They've been running genetic experiments on people under the guise of clinical trials for the past several years."

Adam leaned forward.

"Clinical trials? Have any of them been for a flu vaccine?"

Jess glanced over at his mentor quickly before scanning the list. His lips thinned and pointed one out.

"Yeah, that one was run locally about two years ago. How'd you know?"

Adam frowned, nodding his head slightly.

"Sounds about right. During yesterday's session, Roslin and I were fairly certain we'd tracked her genetic alterations back to a clinical trial she'd participated in. She ended up in the hospital with pneumonia rather than the flu."

Adam sighed, folding his hands and thinking for a minute.

"Keep digging on Paragon, but see if you can track the responsible parties for the trial and who her attending physicians were in the hospital. I'm betting they're the same person or people."

He stood and laid a hand on Jesse's shoulder.

"Get yourself some coffee and stretch before you dive back in Jess. I know you and you won't surface for a while once you get started."

Jess wanted to get right back to work, but a sudden yawn earned him a wry chuckle from his mentor. A quick glance at his station revealed the distinct lack of a mug. On their arrival back from Genomex, he'd bypassed the kitchen entirely. All the more reason to take a few minutes and refuel. He locked his station and lifted the arms of the reclining chair, sliding out. Food might be on the agenda too, before he got back to work.

* * *

Adam gave Shalimar and Brennan a half hour, then headed down to the garage. After explaining who they were meeting, he filled them in on what Jess had learned about Paragon. It left both team members with a lot to think about.

"Jess and I will update you if we find anything else."

Adam gave them both a tight smile.

"No need to make Jarod wear a visual cloak on the way back, unless he insists. I trust him. Fill him in as best you can."

He inhaled, hoping his smile was more reassuring than it felt.

"Keep your eyes open. I don't think the GSA or Paragon will show up, but better safe than sorry."

"Don't worry Adam. We'll get Jarod back here and then we can put our heads together and figure out how to get Roslin back."

Brennan reassuring him was something Adam found odd, but not as odd as the younger man's apparent shift in attitude. Although maybe that change wasn't as odd as Adam initially thought. Brennan had been responsible for Roslin's safety, and, like her or not, he'd failed. Failure was not something the elemental dealt well with.


	23. Echoes from the Past

Roslin came to slowly, pain still buzzing along her nerves. Memories came piecemeal at first, but the residual pain helped her put them together. Finally Roslin opened her eyes, only to find herself staring blearily at walls not dissimilar from those at Genomex. She was far less optimistic about her chances of getting out of here though. At first look, there wasn't much difference between the two, but Roslin knew the main difference wasn't in the facilities, but in who was responsible for her captivity. The earlier meeting told her she had far more to fear from Juliana than from Eckhart.

Juliana knew what she was, or at least what she had been. And thanks to Eckhart, Juliana knew that Paragon's genetic manipulations had been at least partly successful. About the only thing Juliana didn't know about was her empathy. And it was likely to become something close to torture, even without Juliana knowing. It wouldn't help that the other woman's motivations were both old and personal. Juliana would take a great deal of satisfaction from any pain Roslin experienced.

They'd left her alone for the moment, though it took Roslin awhile to figure out she should take advantage of the situation while she could. Her head still throbbed and her thoughts were more than a little sluggish. At least she wasn't distracted by other people's thoughts and emotions, or drugged or unconscious, at the moment. She couldn't count on that continuing to be the case. She sat up carefully, leaning against the wall and shifting until she was as comfortable as she could get. A couple of centering exercises helped her focus. What she focused on was Emma, hoping there was even a slim chance the other woman might be able to find or connect with her. She stayed in that meditative state until they came for her.

* * *

It only took about fifteen minutes to brew up some fresh coffee and grab something to eat. Topping off my mug, I headed back to the computer. As I settled into my chair, I made a quick decision. Instead of doing more research on Paragon and Juliana, I started digging into the clinical trial records for that flu vaccine and into Roslin's hospital records. Comparison of the two showed two doctors who were involved with both. While I was at it, I shunted Roslin's medical records to the computers in the lab. Adam would want to see them.

Tracing the two doctors was next - where they'd worked, where they'd been during the past two years, and where they were now. Neither was still in the public sector and there were no indications that either had died or committed a crime. That meant they were working somewhere in the private sector, which made tracking them down somewhat harder. Not impossible by the means, not using Sanctuary's systems, but time-consuming. My coffee was long gone by the time I tracked down the first doctor's current employer. It took far less time to realize the company was a front - little more than a shell company, but it was someplace to start. I saved the data, stretched, refilled my coffee, and got back to work.

It quickly became clear that the path led through multiple dummy corporations. All I had to do was follow the money and eventually I'd find the source. I knew what Juliana had told Eckhart, but she could have just as easily been lying. Besides, rescuing Roslin was just the first step. Paragon needed to be taken down. In some ways they were actually worse than Genomex. At least Genomex admitted to doing gene research. If you got medical treatment from them, you knew it was genetically based. Paragon didn't even admit to running experiments on people, much less genetic experiments.

I had the video feed outside Roslin's room up in the corner of one of my screens. I wanted to know as soon as Emma picked anything up, if she did. Movement on the feed caught my attention, and I saw Emma come out. My eyes narrowed as I watched. My friend was either very distracted or concentrating hard on something. I swiveled my chair and caught Adam's attention, pointing toward the stairs just as Emma became visible. Locking the computer, I slid out of my chair and approached her.

"Emma? You got something?"

Emma blinked and nodded, but it was clear her attention wasn't with me. I got her seated in the kitchen and put the kettle on the stove. Once the tea was ready, I put the mug in front of her and slid into the seat across the table.

"Emma? What are you getting? Talk to me."

It was hard to keep my voice low and coaxing, but I didn't want to startle her. Emma was fighting hard to hold on to whatever she had, and the last thing I wanted was for her to lose it. I felt, rather than heard Adam join us, sparing a glance to see my mentor nod encouragingly from where he leaned against the counter.

"It's Roslin. I'm connected to her, but it's hard to hold on to."

Emma wrapped her hands around the mug.

"She's projecting. Pain, confusion. I think she's kind of out of it."

Adam moved into Emma's line of sight.

"She may have a concussion. A good knock to the head would make it hard for her to concentrate."

Emma nodded, closing her eyes and sipping the tea.

"I think she's alone now, but I don't know if I can hold the connection if she's distracted. It's too tenuous for me to even get a direction, much less a location. But she's definitely more scared than she was at Genomex."

I looked at Adam. We both knew the only good thing right now was that Emma had been able to connect with Roslin. That meant that Roslin was conscious and more or less okay. Given what Juliana had told Eckhart on the phone, that wasn't likely to stay the case. The only question was when the situation would change.

A gasp from Emma, and the thud of her mug hitting the table, answered that question. Adam and I both turned our attention back to Emma to find her holding her temples, tears falling from behind closed eyes. Adam grabbed the mug and wiped up the spilled tea as I tried to calm Emma. After a few minutes, she lifted her head and took a deep breath.

"It's gone. There was a flare of pain and fear and then the connection broke."

Adam sighed, rubbing a hand over his jaw.

"Emma, think back. Is she hurt, or was the pain from the concussion?"

I stood up quietly, moving behind Emma and rubbing her back and neck for a minute or two before stepping away to make her another cup of tea. I brought back a couple of aspirin along with the tea, setting both in front of her. As soon as she knew they were there, I went back to working on her neck and shoulders as I listened to the questions and answers. After a few more minutes Adam shooed her off to her room to rest.

I couldn't help feeling like we were failing as I watched Emma leave. Whether she knew it or not at the time, Roslin had been hiding from Juliana and maybe other Pretenders as well. Mutant X... I... had promised Roslin safety, yet now she was in the very hands she'd been running from. And whatever they were, Juliana had personal reasons for wanting Roslin. That worried me. Personal issues have a way of turning cruel, vicious, and deadly. If Juliana was feeling a need for revenge of some sort, any tests or experiments her people ran on Roslin would be geared to cause as much pain as possible.

"Jesse? Hey Jess!"

I blinked as Adam snapped his fingers in front of my face.

"Welcome back."

Adam looked at me oddly before continuing.

"From what Emma said, it sounds like Roslin might have re-injured her shoulder, so we'll have to take that into account when we find her."

I frowned, rubbing the back of my neck self-consciously.

"I don't know, Adam. It seems like this is just getting worse and worse. If Roslin hadn't met me, none of this would have happened. She would never have come to Eckhart's attention. He would never have found out she was a mutant, and Paragon would never have found her."

Adam got up and poured two cups of coffee, sitting down across from me. Odd, I didn't remember sitting down.

"It's not your fault, Jess. Paragon probably would have caught up to her sooner. Don't forget, Shalimar said she and Emma saw someone else at her house when they went to pick up her things. And If she hadn't met you, no one would be looking for her now."

"Maybe."

I took a drink of my coffee and sighed. Nothing Adam had said was news, and it didn't really do anything to make me feel better.

"But Roslin's luck has gone downhill ever since she met me."

From his expression, Adam didn't disagree with me. He didn't exactly agree either though.

"Yeah, well, now's not the time to play the blame game, Jess. What have you found so far?"

I knew what Adam was doing. Beating myself up wasn't doing anyone any good. I still felt guilty, that hadn't changed, but I mentally boxed it up and put it to one side. I had work to do. Closing my eyes, I did my best to refocus. After a moment, I opened my eyes with a sigh and stood up.

"It'll be easier to show you, Adam."

* * *

Roslin managed an unthinking state, barely noticing when the door opened. Searing pain broke her concentration, as someone yanked her to her feet by her arm. She gasped, blinking away tears and trying to focus her vision as she was dragged, stumbling, down the hall. The fire in her shoulder was almost enough to overwhelm the ache in her head. Between the two, Roslin was having a hard time focusing on anything at all. The corridors went by in a blur.

When they finally arrived at their destination, Roslin was pushed on to an examination table. She sprawled where she landed, unable to do anything else as the world spun, even behind closed eyelids. She wanted nothing else right then but to escape into unconsciousness, to leave the pain and dizziness behind.

Roslin tried to get body and mind working together as blurred figures strapped her to the table. Her head was lifted and she felt a pressure on the back of her neck. That was her only warning before the thoughts of half a dozen people rushed into her head. A whimper escaped and she squeezed her eyes shut, pulling her attention inward. Centering and rebuilding her shields was top priority, but she couldn't get her thoughts together enough to do anything.

She felt a pinch in the back of her right hand and ice flooded her veins. Blackness quickly followed, dragging her down into oblivion. Roslin didn't know whether to fight it or let it take her. In the end, it was a doomed struggle anyway.

* * *

Adam and Jesse spent the next few hours tracking the money trail through a number of dummy corporations and research firms. They checked names and addresses, personnel records, trying to find where Paragon was holding Roslin. It was possible, though not likely, that they might have her at the main facility. The main facility was about as clean as it could be though - it was the site they used when the company needed to reinforce the above-board image they had so far maintained. No, it was far more likely they'd taken her to one of the facilities that couldn't be directly linked to them.

An alert got Adam's attention, letting him know a car was entering the garage. The older man sighed. The progress they'd made wasn't as much as he'd wanted. A glance at Jesse showed the molecular's full attention was still on the searches they were running. The alert hadn't even registered with the younger man. Instead of interrupting Jess, Adam just shunted his results to the other man's computer and headed down to the garage. He arrived just as Brennan parked the car.

First to exit was a tall, dark-haired man. He gazed around the garage, taking in the construction, but as Adam approached, his attention turned to the scientist.

"Nice to see you again, Adam."

"I just wish it was under different circumstances, Jarod."

Adam sighed, his expression somber.

"Come on up and meet the rest of the team. We'll fill you in on what we have so far."

It didn't take long to do either of those things. The head of the Centre was impressed by what he saw and by Adam's team. He got the feeling though that everyone was feeling that time wasn't on their side. There wasn't time for pleasantries.

"Most of the Pretenders in the original group were male. We still don't know if the male gender is more prone to the ability or if females are just better at hiding it."

Jarod paused, looking at the five people surrounding him.

"We only had four girls in our group and Roslin was the youngest. It was rare that we got to interact. We all knew there were others, but we were kept separate most of the time."

He gestured everyone over to the seating area before opening the silver briefcase he'd brought with him. Inside was a small video screen and mini-disc player. Jarod slipped a disc from the case, inserting it into the player and turning the case to face the others.

"This is a simulation recording. It may explain why Juliana has been looking for Roslin."

He paused for a second, meeting Adam's gaze.

"And she has been looking for Roslin for at least the last two years."

The screen flashed static for moment before clearing to reveal a black and white image of two teenage girls. An off-screen voice gave them some minimal instructions and then they appeared to be left alone. It quickly became obvious that the two didn't know each other, or at least not well. They were certainly making headway in remedying that situation as the video continued. After a few minutes, the screen blanked for several seconds. When the picture returned, it showed the two girls, this time in different clothes.

"This simulation required several sessions to complete. The time stamp is in the upper right hand corner."

They watched parts of five sessions before Jarod paused the recording. Each session showed the girls getting to know each other. Slowly the team could see trust and the beginnings of friendship developing between the two.

"What Roslin and Juliana didn't know was that the true purpose of the simulation was to study betrayal. It didn't help that our handlers weren't fond of our making friends with one another. This is the last session."

Jarod reached around and turned up the volume before un-pausing the video.

The session began with just Roslin being instructed by her off-screen handler. There seemed to be two key points to the instruction. Roslin was to offer a particular piece of information about the program to Juliana. Once her handler was sure she was clear on that, he carefully explained that the friendship both girls had developed was actually forbidden. Not only would it get her in trouble, but Juliana would be punished as well.

Roslin was visibly upset, but she managed to get herself under control by the time Juliana appeared. There was no sign the older girl had been given any new instructions. She expected the same friendly meeting as the past several and was surprised when Roslin's behavior was considerably cooler than it had been. Roslin did pass on the information she been instructed to and continued to rebuff Juliana. To the team, who had Emma's expert knowledge, it was obvious that Roslin used her empathy to reinforce her behavior. It was also obvious that the younger Roslin wasn't happy about losing her first friend. Eventually Juliana's handler came for her and the last image was of a tearful and alone Roslin facing the camera.

"Roslin didn't know that the information she passed along was false. And because of the way we were separated, she never knew what the consequences of that information were."

Jarod turned the case around and ejected the disc, holding it between finger and thumb.

"The recordings are the only record we have, so I don't know what the full extent of the fallout was. I do know that Juliana tried to make use of the information and got in trouble for it. I think she believed, and still believes, that Roslin gave her false information intentionally. And that Roslin betrayed her to the handlers."

The entire team was silent, still digesting what they'd seen and heard. They all realized that if Juliana had held on to the betrayal for this long, she was probably obsessed with it. No explanation, or even proof, they or Jarod could give would change her mind. And that did not bode well for Roslin's well-being.


	24. Shadow Realities

Roslin awoke, or at least thought she did, to a feeling of floating. Her mind was surprisingly clear of other people's thoughts and feelings, which was a relief, though somehow it seemed wrong. Her own thoughts were moving slowly. It took a while for Roslin to realize she couldn't feel her body - the pain from her head and shoulder had disappeared along with other physical sensation. She couldn't see either, but since she couldn't feel her body, she couldn't tell if her eyes were actually open. There was no way to figure out what was going on. That made her uneasy.

Suddenly reds and oranges shot through the darkness. The closer the colors came, the more feeling returned. It wasn't a warm, fuzzy feeling though. It was hot, searing pain that swam through her veins, burned her skin, set her on fire. Just as Roslin felt there was nothing left of her but ashes, a flood of ice swept over her, dragging her back down into a darkness that was anything but comforting or kind.

* * *

A video screen showed Roslin, back arched in pain, body straining against the restraints holding her in place. Pain twisted her features and her body shook with near convulsions. After a few minutes, she went limp. Monitors showed her vital signs were stable. Juliana Nolan watched the entire scene with a certain satisfaction The lab-coated man next to her seemed less satisfied as he studied the data on another monitor.

"Well, Dr. Harrison?"

"The results are not quite what I anticipated, Ms. Nolan. It is impossible to tell exactly what the subject is responding to."

Juliana crossed her arms as she turned to look at Harrison, giving him a polite smile. Her eyes narrowed for a moment as she came to a decision.

"Your report said you believed she might have had a natural mutation before Paragon altered her DNA. Did you have any hypothesis about what that mutation might be?"

Harrison pursed his lips in thought before answering.

"Originally I believed it was the telepathy, but since that is the product of your company's experimentation, I was obviously wrong. It must be one of the mutations in the psionic family. They are usually the easiest to hide."

"She always was very perceptive, especially when it came to emotional states, Doctor. Could that have been due to a mutation?"

Juliana's voice indicated a rather innocent curiosity, though she was fairly certain she had come to the correct conclusion.

"It could be empathy. It's the same mutation family."

The doctor's voice was thoughtful as he considered the possibility.

Juliana's smile was cold.

"Would that account for the unexpected reactions in this test?"

Harrison nodded slowly.

"It would, and it opens up a whole new line of tests I would like to see run, Ms. Nolan. Since the abilities are in the same family, they might reinforce or enhance each other. And there are so many emotions to test."

"Write up your instructions, Doctor. I'll see that my people run those tests along with the ones we already have scheduled."

* * *

Too many hours on the computers had given us four possible locations - three remote labs and the main Paragon facility. Jarod argued for the main facility, and given what I'd learned, I agreed. Juliana's issue with Roslin was personal. She wouldn't leave Roslin in the hands of mere scientists. Juliana would keep her nearby so she could check in periodically. Unfortunately, no one had seen Juliana enter or leave the main facility in the last 48 hours. Nor had she been seen at any of the other facilities.

We were going to have to check out all four locations. Adam sent Emma and Brennan in the Helix to overfly them. Brennan would scan the facilities with the Helix's systems. Emma would use her empathy to try to connect with Roslin. It was chancy, but it might narrow things down. Anything that might shorten the process of finding the right site was good in my book.

Brennan and Emma were on their way to the second site, Adam and Jarod off in the lab or Adam's office, when Shal called me over to take a look at a video. I frowned as I recognized the lean figure of Dr. Kenneth Harrison. I closed my eyes, taking a slow breath and working hard to keep my temper under control. After a moment, I leaned over Shal's shoulder and pulled up the transcript of Eckhart's call with Juliana and scanned the text.

"I think you may have found something, Shal. Keep an eye on him. Find out if he left, and see if he went to any of the other facilities."

I ran a hand over my jaw as a straightened up.

"Juliana offered to let Harrison be involved in the testing. If the main facility is the only place he's been, that's probably where she is. I'll start pulling up the schematics and public records on the place. I'm sure things have been changed, but it's somewhere to start."

I paced for a minute, running things through my head. It was getting harder to keep my mind on what needed to be done. My thoughts kept drifting to what might be happening to Roslin.

"I'll let Bren and Emma know, and I'll see if I can get in touch with Allison. Maybe she can get a publicity tour of the main facility or something on short notice."

* * *

Roslin blinked several times, her vision slowly going from black, to gray, to color, but an odd kind of color. Her head spun, and she still felt disconnected from her body. Thinking was hard when the thoughts didn't want to stay put.

Everyone and everything seemed to have a spiky halo. It was more substantial than an aura, substantial enough that she could feel the spikes when anyone came close. It hurt. Some of the spikes were longer and stronger than others. Some even seemed to belong to someone in the next room and those felt familiar somehow.

Even as color returned to her vision, someone seemed to be dialing up the volume. It had to be thoughts she was hearing, not actual voices, because she couldn't hear any sounds like footsteps, equipment clinking, or ventilation. But the voices were getting louder, drowning out her own thoughts and aggravating the pain those spikes were causing.

And still her thoughts were sluggish and slow. For a split second, Roslin knew that meant something, but she couldn't hold on to the thought and it was swept away. She closed her eyes, trying to limit the sensory input, but it didn't help. She could still feel those spikes prodding at her. Roslin twisted against the restraints, trying to escape the agony, but it was useless. She lost track of anything but the noise and pain and chaos inside her head.

And then the hard, icy blackness swept over her again. This time she reached for it, letting it take everything away again.

* * *

The main facility was the last on Brennan and Emma's list. Not only was it the least likely, it was the one they didn't want it to be. Security would be the tightest there, and the team's ability to anticipate undocumented security measures would be limited. Still, it was a possibility they had to check out.

Brennan put the Helix into stealth mode long before they reached the facility. Once there, he hovered over the building, running several scans, hoping to get something that might be useful. Emma would do her own kind of scan.

Emma was tired, but this was the last site. While she'd been able to reach Roslin from Sanctuary, it was only because Roslin had been receptive and projecting. If Roslin hadn't been projecting, there was no way Emma could have connected with her from that distance. Emma had a better chance of connecting with her if she was closer to wherever Roslin was. She could rest when they'd found her.

Emma sighed and looked at Brennan for a moment, receiving an encouraging smile from him in return. She settled herself more comfortably, closing her eyes and casting her ability out in search of Roslin. There were lots of people in the facility, which meant lots of emotions to sort through. It took time to weed them out. She brushed one mind that was full of gloating satisfaction and another so concentrated it wasn't likely to notice anything. A small part of Emma's mind made a note, those were probably Juliana and Harrison, but the greater part of her mind was still searching.

Her strength was fading, but Emma pushed her empathy a little more and finally touched on something. It was fading, but Emma steeled herself and reached for it. Mental and emotional pain exploded around her, and she gasped, hands tightening on the arms of her seat. Roslin's consciousness was fading, diving for the blackness that might offer some relief. Emma followed her, trying to send Roslin some assurance and hope. Roslin's mind sank into the darkness before Emma could tell if she'd been successful.

Emma re-centered herself. Turning her head, she caught Brennan's gaze, unshed tears standing in her eyes from both Roslin's pain and a rapidly growing headache. Her companion didn't say anything, just set his jaw and turned the Helix for home. They had found what they were looking for, but that didn't make him happy. If Emma's reaction was any indication, Roslin wasn't doing well, and they might not have much time left.

Their arrival at Sanctuary was greeted anxiously. Emma confirmed that Roslin was at the main facility before Adam sent her to bed. Jesse was already on the phone with Allison. Brennan collapsed on the couch, letting some of the stress from the flight drain away while Adam and Jarod conferred.

* * *

A few hours later, Jarod and I were in the Double Helix, which was once again sitting above the main Paragon facility. I set the controls on auto and double-checked the stealth systems before activating the main screen. Allison had managed to arrange a publicity tour on short notice. I'd had just enough time to outfit her with a few gadgets that would let us scan the building and its security measures. I'd also given her an earpiece, just in case I needed her to get a closer look at something.

There was no way for Allison to get into the secure areas, and I didn't want her to try. If she could find where they were and get a look at the security systems around them, that would be more than we now had. All I needed Allison to do was observe as much as possible and get out, without tipping off security that someone was casing the place.

That she could do it didn't surprise me. What did was when Allison used her telekinesis to trigger the fire alarm at the end of her tour. That gave us data on the security forces' response time and methods. I made sure to thank her for that extra touch when we collected the equipment.

I uploaded all the data to Sanctuary, even though it wouldn't take long for us to get back. Bren and Shal could start feeding the data into the simulator and that would cut down on the time it took us to prepare. Jarod spent the ride back reviewing the footage and making notes to himself. I'm not sure what he was seeing, but I knew he was seeing it from a different perspective, and that point of view might make all the difference, so I left him alone.

* * *

Juliana viewed the data on her screen and smiled. The possibility that Roslin was both telepath and empath had given her a rather delightful idea. Paragon's secret files had given her what she needed to put that idea into action. In less than an hour, her people would be starting a very different set of experiments with her old friend. Juliana intended to view every minute of the process.

The intercom on her desk buzzed, pulling her out of her anticipation. Harrison had arrived. Juliana smoothed her expression to one of blandness and pressed the button to open the door of her office. The doctor stalked through the door, stopping just short of her desk. He studied her coldly for a moment and when he spoke, his annoyance was obvious.

"Why have the test schedules for our subject been changed? I was very clear on the need to proceed in a logical, scientific manner."

"Dr. Harrison," Juliana's people knew that tone of voice and, had he known her better, it would have scared Harrison almost as much as Eckhart's quiet menace. He didn't, and he continued to glare at her as he waited for an explanation.

"We agreed to share information on this subject and to work your test requests in with ours. But this is not Genomex, and she is not your test subject any longer, Doctor. Given the discovery that the subject may have two mutations that may reinforce one another, we are changing the direction of the tests."

Harrison managed to look both subdued and annoyed at the same time.

"You do have a point, Ms. Nolan. My tests did not take into account the possible reinforcement factor."

"I doubt the subject's strength will last through all the tests we would like to perform, so we need to move a few of them to the front of the list."

She slid a dossier across the desk and nodded for Harrison to take it.

"We've had several experiments over the years with successful results. That subject is one of them. He is able to pull images and thoughts from a person's mind and create full sensory hallucinations for them. Our theory is that he can trigger reactions from both her mutations at a higher level than we would be able to produce otherwise."

The Genomex scientist tilted his head to the side, considering both Juliana's words and the dossier in front of him.

"Not the way I would have proceeded, Ms. Nolan, but we should get some valuable data from the process. Very well, I agree."

Harrison's tone implied he was granting his permission, but Juliana let it slide. He wasn't going to argue with the new schedule and that was all she really wanted from him.

"They should be ready to begin in less than an hour, if you would like to observe. I believe the results should be quite interesting."

A short time later, Juliana and Harrison both stood in the observation room. Technicians were checking monitors and sensor pads. Extra care was being given to checking the neural visualizer Juliana's pet mutant would be wearing to make his part easier. It was stolen technology, but Juliana's people had studied how it worked and already begun producing their own version.

A stimulant was administered to counteract the drug keeping Roslin unconscious. Once she showed signs of waking, a new drug, a psychotropic, would be administered. It should strengthen Roslin's belief in the hallucinations, making them seem more real. Once she woke, the experiments could begin.


	25. Darkness Growing

The hard darkness softened enough to let Roslin's consciousness surface. A softer reality greeted her, if it was reality. She was no longer sure. Still, warm fuzziness had to be better than cold darkness, right? Roslin let the warmth draw her in.

Suddenly she was home, or at least a vaguely fuzzy version of home. Again, she wasn't sure. Uneasy, she turned a slow circle but everything looked right. A small voice nagged her, saying this couldn't be real, but everything was exactly as she remembered it. That seemed wrong. There was something she was missing, something important. It wasn't coming to mind though and a knock on the door interrupted her musings.

Roslin shook herself slightly, trying to get her bearings. Swinging the door open revealed a familiar, blue-eyed, blonde man. Had she forgotten plans? Frowning, Roslin tried to remember. Her visitor leaned against the door frame, smiling, but his smile didn't reach the blue eyes. It didn't feel right. Despite some misgivings, Roslin extended her empathy only to encounter a barrier she couldn't read past.

"Jesse? We didn't have plans, did we?"

She stood in the door, blocking his entrance, though she wasn't really sure why. Jesse was her friend. Something was putting her on edge.

"Nah. I was just in the neighborhood. Thought I'd stop by and check up on you."

He leaned in, closing the space between them. Roslin felt anything but reassured. Her instincts were screaming that something was wrong. It was hard to keep the unease out of her voice.

"Thanks, Jess. But everything's good."

Roslin offered him a weak smile, thinking furiously. She didn't know what was making her so uneasy. Until she did, she had no intention of letting Jess through the door. Even if he was probably the best friend she had.

"Gonna let me in?"

The molecular leaned in a bit farther, smiling widening. It still didn't touch the blue eyes. Eyes that seemed much colder than she remembered.

"The place is kind of a mess. Maybe we can meet later at City North?"

Jesse shook his head slightly, his smile a bit colder.

"I don't think so, Roslin. You didn't really think Adam was going to let you go, did you? You do have a natural, stable mutation after all."

Roslin tried to slam the door, but Jesse massed and shoved his way into the house. She caught a glimpse of Emma leaving against the mustang before she was forced to back up.

This wasn't right. It felt like a dream, but if it was, she couldn't seem to wake up. As Jesse advanced on her, still wearing that cold smile, it seemed all too real.

"Jess, wait! This isn't you! I know this isn't you!"

Her words were no more effective than her empathy had been. Jesse laughed, grabbing her arm and pulling her toward the open door. The lack of pain as he did so was vaguely surprising. What was happening was more than wrong.

"Oh, it's me, all right. We have our own empath, remember? Did you think she wouldn't teach us how to hide our feelings if we need to?"

They were at the door now, and he grabbed her other arm. Fear finally overcame disbelief, and Roslin began struggling to get away. Even without massing, Jesse was stronger than she was. He picked her up, carrying her down the few stairs, and set her down in front of Emma like baggage. The menace in his voice scared her more than his actions.

"And now, she's going to teach you a thing or two."

Roslin looked at Emma, shaking her head in denial when she saw the other woman's eyes were almost completely black. Her voice almost failed and she was only able to whisper the empath's name. Jess still held both arms in a firm grip and there was nothing she could do. A glowing ball formed in front of Emma's forehead, then shot toward her. Roslin's body jerked when it hit, her knees buckling. Her body wasn't obeying her anymore and she sagged, limp in Jesse's grasp. He'd been ready though. The last thing she saw as her eyelids closed was the sadistic and amused grin on a face she thought she'd known.

The man she'd thought was her friend wasn't careful as he loaded her into the car. She acquired more than a few bruises. Whatever Emma had done to her, it hadn't affected Roslin's hearing, just her ability to do anything. She was privy to every word of the conversation between Jesse and Emma. Something inside shattered as they discussed her. When then contacted Adam, and he confirmed his intent to use whatever means necessary to discover why her mutation was stable, despair flooded through her.

It seemed like no time at all before the car stopped. She was unloaded, Jesse complaining about her weight as he lifted her. Either she'd blanked out during the drive or... something nagged at the back of her mind, but restraints being tightened around her wrists stopped her from pursuing it.

"Sorry about this, Roslin, but you have something my team needs. And no one's going to be looking for you, so..."

Adam let the sentence trail off, but Roslin heard more amusement than apology in his voice. She couldn't move or open her eyes. She couldn't figure out how things had gone so terribly wrong. There was a stinging pain in her arm. Then not even her thoughts were under her control, as Roslin slid into unrelieved blackness.

* * *

It took time to upload the data to the simulator, time for the simulator to process it. Hours slipped by as we brought Jarod up to speed with our equipment and methods. As we ran through the initial simulations, correct mistakes, and tweaked the simulation parameters for another run through. I wasn't the only one feeling we were losing the race against time.

There wasn't a lot I could do to prepare. The computer systems I needed access to were discrete systems – not connected to the net or to computers that were. It was annoying. The only thing I could do was load my best hacks on a flash drive and hope I'd have enough time to use them once I got there. Not my favorite choice for a course of action, but it would take even more time, time that Roslin might not have, to find another way to get system access.

Adam watched the simulations, helping fine tune our efforts. Though Jarod was going with us, Adam wasn't. He would be coordinating from Sanctuary while he prepped the med-lab. That would be more a matter of burning excess energy than anything else. He wouldn't know exactly what he'd need until we found Roslin and were able to assess her condition. More importantly, Adam would be our last ditch backup if everything went wrong.

The preparations took time and left us all drained. Despite the ever growing sense of urgency, Adam insisted we get a few hours of rest before we left, offering sleeping aids to those of us who felt we might need them. I hated the additional delay but I agreed with Adam's reasoning. I took him up on the offer, knowing it was the only way I'd get any rest. We all needed to be alert when we got to Paragon.

* * *

Roslin awoke, knowing something was wrong. The first thing she was able to focus on was the EDD, and fear raised its head. The fear only grew stronger as she realized wrists and ankles were locked tight in restraints. At least she could see and hear again. She only hoped that was a good thing.

"Ah, you're finally awake. That's good because we have a lot of work to do."

Adam came into her line of sight and the cold, amused smile he flashed her matched his tone. He pressed a few keys on the keyboard, studying the resulting screen for a moment.

"I think we can get started in just a few minutes."

Jesse and Emma entered the lab, both leaning against the wall to wait until Adam was ready to get started with whatever he had planned. Brennan and Shalimar watched from the observation window above. It wasn't good, and the thoughts and feelings of the others only confirmed that.

Brennan and Shal were curious, but mostly uninvested in what was happening to her. If she could concentrate on them, things might not be so bad. Unfortunately, the feelings and thoughts in the lab were far stronger and closer. They overwhelmed the emotions she wanted to hold on to. She could partially block them, but they were too strong to block completely.

Emma was actively projecting a savage satisfaction at seeing Roslin restrained. Her thoughts said Roslin was getting exactly what she deserved. It would have hurt, even if Emma hadn't put her ability behind it. With her power behind them, the emotions bordered on physically painful. She and Emma had been becoming friends, and that only made it worse.

Jesse's feelings didn't have the empathic push Emma's did, but they were strong enough without it. If anything, they hurt more than Emma's. It was Jess she was closest to. Jess she'd come to trust more than anyone else, even Jarod. It was Jess she'd put everything at risk for, but he didn't see it that way. He only saw that she'd lied to him, and his sense of betrayal was overwhelming. He was looking for a little payback. A faint, knowing, smile graced his lips and that frightened Roslin most, even as it seemed out of place.

Roslin had expected Adam's thoughts and feelings to be easiest to deal with. She was wrong. The leader of Mutant X was taking uncharacteristic and sadistic satisfaction in being able to experiment without thought of the consequences. He intended to study how she processed as many sensations as possible.

All those thoughts flashed through her mind in seconds. It all seemed very unreal, but it was obviously happening.

"Well, let's get you wired up, so we can get started, shall we?"

This time anticipation bled into Adam's voice as Jesse pushed away from the wall and joined his mentor. He held her shoulders down as Adam placed sensors on her. The molecular's grip was strong enough to leave bruises. It wasn't necessary. She was already restrained. But Jesse took an obvious satisfaction in her pain. He and Adam moved to the computers to check the readings and set the parameters for the first test.

"Oh, I don't think I mentioned it earlier. Emma is going to amplify what you experience. We want to make sure we clear readings."

Roslin was still parsing that statement when Emma's empathic blast hit her. Suddenly it felt like someone had scraped her skin away. She squeezed her eyes shut, every emotion and thought that touched her burning her like corrosive acid. The best she could do was focus. To try to detach from something she had trouble believing was really happening. Her efforts died as a shocking rush of pain coursed through her. All she could do then was scream until the darkness claimed her.

* * *

Strong coffee was waiting to help clear away any fogginess from their enforced rest. The dark, fragrant liquid was drained from mugs as Mutant X and Jarod went over the plans once more. They would be arriving about an hour before dawn. Security personnel should be tired and less alert. Once everyone had confirmed they understood the plans, Adam walked them down to the hanger, watching as the Double Helix disappeared.

A part of him wanted to be with the rest of his team, to be there when they reached Roslin and to be able to evaluate her condition first hand. His skills were best employed here at Sanctuary though. Jarod could evaluate Roslin's condition as well as he could, and there were scanners in the Helix itself. Once the team was well on their way, Adam headed back to the lab to keep an eye on their progress.

Jarod felt out of place, even though he knew the team considered his presence important. They weren't just humoring him. They were counting on him to adapt to circumstances as they occurred, to use his own abilities as a Pretender to help get them out of any tight spots with Paragon personnel. His main purpose on this mission was really to confront Juliana if she was there. To distract his fellow Pretender while the team got Roslin out of Paragon. Jarod pulled up the floor plans, but his attention was only half on them as the Helix flew through the darkness.

The tension building in the Double Helix was understandable given the underlying guild most of them were feeling. Emma closed her eyes, getting a feeling for it. It would blunt their edge, and that was something they couldn't afford. The tele-empath knew they didn't have enough information about Paragon's security or systems, but she also knew, better than the others, that Roslin was running out of time. So, instead of protesting or urging caution, Emma ran through a centering exercise and concentrated on projecting calm to the rest of the team.

Shalimar and Brennan had their hands full piloting the Helix. The weather could have been better, but the storms would help them approach Paragon an gain entry without being noticed. Both mutants were trying to concentrate on the here-and-now, not the past. Even as they navigated through the weather, both knew they had to make good on their mistake. Roslin wouldn't be in Paragon's hands if they hadn't let the GSA get to her first.

The last member of the team double- and triple-checked all of his 'toys' and then was left drumming his fingers on the arm of his seat. That was the only physical evidence of the worry and tension Jesse felt. The blue eyes were distant and he appeared calm, but he wished he had Emma's ability so he could Roslin's mind. He wanted to assure her they were coming, and to reassure himself that she would hold on until they got there. He was hoping Juliana's people hadn't realized she was an empath as well as a telepath. If they had, Roslin's time might be even shorter than they thought.

Before any of them were really ready, Brennan and Shalimar landed the stealthed craft on the roof of Paragon's main facility. The upper floors were all corporate offices. Other than a few cameras, there was little security. Most intruders would have to approach the offices from the lower floors, after all. Jesse phased the roof access door to get them in, and they managed to avoid the cameras until he found a computer.

The office computers shouldn't be connected to the computers in the secure area, but Jesse checked anyway. As he'd expected, they weren't connected to the secure research or security systems. It didn't take long for Jesse to find his way into the regular security systems though, and he found he could hack every camera outside the secure area.

It took longer than usual to set up the video loops. Jarod was watching over his shoulder, making Jesse nervous. The others were all trying to bleed off nervous energy any way they could that wouldn't draw attention. Jesse activated the video loops and took a few more minutes to scan the security schematics. Once he'd memorized the potential trip-ups, he filled the other in and they made their way down to the main floor.

This was where things got tricky. The only interface between the normal security systems and the secure areas was in the security system on the first floor. Jesse needed access to one of the security computers. That would only provide him with the information on how to get into the secure area. He might be able to get some video, but the labs wouldn't be on it.


	26. Confrontation

I had to admire whoever had set up the security systems for the secure area, even if they were making my job hard. Well, maybe not hard, but definitely more time-consuming. That made it hard to keep my mind on what I was doing.

It turned out the secure area was pretty well protected by heat and motion sensors, laser trip wires, and retinal scanners. You had to have a security card that matched your retinal scan and fingerprints to even get in. I could have gotten in and stayed undetected – for as long as I could hold my breath. Once I had to drop my phase, I'd set off every alarm there.

So we had to do it the hard way. Only one computer outside the secure area was connected to the system, and it was in an alcove protected by sensors that could only be by-passed by another security card. Luckily, I had access to the main security system. The first security card was easy.

It gave me access to the computer I needed, and that computer had the specs for creating the card required for the secure area. Then it was back to the main security computer because that was where the card encoder was.

There wasn't time to create cards for everyone. I wasn't sure I wanted to give Juliana that much information about us either. Jarod, however, was a known quantity to her. I ran through my thinking with him and before too long he had a working secure access card. We would have to stay pretty close to him until I got to a computer in the secure area. Once I did, I could probably spoof most of the sensors along our route.

* * *

Roslin woke slowly, pain buzzing along every nerve. She was still in the bio-chair, still restrained. Her senses told her she was alone. Not that the knowledge did her much good. She was well and truly caught, and she was no longer sure if escaping was worth the effort. It wasn't as if she had anywhere to escape to.

She'd had hope in Harrison's hands. She'd even had hope in Juliana's hands. Roslin frowned. Just how had she gotten from Paragon to her home? A sharp pain tore through her head, leaving despair and apathy in its wake.

And then Jesse walked in. He crossed the lab, that cold smile on his lips. The gentle caress along her jaw startled her. It also warned her before she felt his breath hot on her ear.

"I think you owe me, Roslin, and I intend to collect. You owe Brennan too. I'm sure he'll want to collect on that as well."

Jesse's voice was almost gentle, but the laugh that followed them wasn't.

"You caused us a lot of trouble, but since you have something we need, I guess I'll have to wait. At least until Adam's ready."

Roslin couldn't believe what Jesse was implying. It was so far from the man she'd come to call friend. She squeezed her eyes shut as pain shot through her head again. Jesse laughed.

His laughter faded as he moved away. Roslin heard the lab door open and shut. She was alone again, but she couldn't bring herself to take advantage it. There was no reason to fight what was happening, nothing left to fight for. Her thoughts sank into a personal darkness that seemed to last forever and no time at all.

* * *

Things had been going entirely too well for my peace of mind. Human security in the secure area was minimal, especially at this hour. It occurred to me that Juliana might have even sent some of the security guards away, if she wanted to keep what she was doing private.

We'd gotten in and found a computer without seeing signs of anyone. It took a few minutes to find the floor-plans and a bit longer to spoof the security systems. Finding which lab we needed was a process of elimination. Each lab was supposed to have a video feed, but there were eight labs on the plans and only seven in the feeds. No doubt Juliana was recording her experiments on Roslin, but she'd cut the feed out of the security loop. It worried me even more, the lump in my stomach growing heavier.

We were about two corridors from the lab when Emma whimpered, sagging against the wall. Everyone stopped. After a few seconds and a couple of deep breaths, she pushed away from the wall with just one word.

"Hurry!"

We didn't run, but we weren't far from it. Jarod broke off from the rest of us at the last cross hallway. Juliana and maybe Harrison would be in the observation room. The rest of us headed straight for the lab.

As satisfying as it would have been to bust the lab door open, it would have slowed us down and warned the people in the lab. We stopped short and I phased the wall instead. I stepped through and dropped the phase once I was sure the others had made it through.

* * *

Jarod paused outside of the observation room. He wasn't entirely certain how he was going to distract Juliana, but he ought to have a moment or two to figure it out once she saw him. He took a deep breath, opened the door and walked through it, scanning the room. It only took seconds to spot Juliana and the man next to her, just now turning toward him.

"Hello, Juliana. It's been a few years."

By her reaction, he'd caught her by surprise. Whoever she had expected to come through the door, it hadn't been him. She recovered just as quickly as he expected though.

"Jarod. This is a surprise. I certainly didn't expect to see you."

He lifted a brow, moving toward the back of the room and away from the observation window. A quick glance at Juliana's companion showed him to be indecisive.

"Dr. Harrison, perhaps you should head back to Genomex. Juliana and I need to have a talk."

Harrison looked between the two of them and nodded, leaving the room as unobtrusively as possible. Juliana watched Jarod. She waited until the door swung shut before speaking.

"What are you doing here, Jarod?"

"I came looking for you. Quite an interesting business you have here. Why Roslin?"

The corner of Juliana's lips quirked upward slightly.

"Because she owes me. I got in a lot of trouble because of her."

Jarod sighed, knowing that nothing he could say would change her mind. He had hoped, but it was time for a different tactic.

* * *

A sulfur smell brought Roslin back to the lab. Emma and Jesse were just within her sight. Adam wasn't, but he spoke from behind her.

"I need to see how physical pain affects the readings. Jesse will do the honors, since I have to watch the scans. Emma has her own job to do."

Roslin watched Jesse, though she didn't really want to. She refused to beg, to cry. She kept eye contact with him. At least until he picked up a scalpel without ever losing that slight smile. The first cut burned and then everything went black. Roslin was left alone, hanging in the midst of nothing.

* * *

As I came through the wall, the others were already in motion. Emma was at Roslin's side, studying the readouts of the equipment she was hooked up to. Brennan was herding three people in white lab coats toward the corner. They were nervously watching the electricity sparking from his fingers. Shal had just slammed a guy into the wall, knocking the headset he was wearing to the ground.

A pained sound came from Emma's direction. A glance showed Roslin, face taut with pain, straining against the restraints. Seconds later, she went limp. Emma bit her lip and started undoing the restraints quickly. Quick looks at Shal and Bren showed they had things well in hand.

I wanted to join Emma, but I had my own job to do. I headed for the closest computer, plugging in a flash drive. I ran a search, only filtering for information on Roslin or mutants. One of my favorite pieces of code moved any files that came up to the flash drive. Moved them, not copied. I was taking the data, removing it from Paragon's server so they couldn't use it in the future.

Jarod must have been successful in keeping Juliana occupied because we weren't interrupted. Shal's opponent didn't put up much of fight. I think she was actually enjoying herself as she worked the fight in the direction of Brennan and his charges. Once all the Paragon employees were together, Brennan and Shal locked them in the supply closet. Emma was frowning, studying the equipment and its readouts again.

Roslin was either asleep or unconscious – I suspected the latter. Not surprising, but worrisome. Whatever Juliana's people had done to her, it hadn't been pleasant. Whatever it was, whatever drugs they'd given her, we should be able to counter, once we figured it out. That was why I was grabbing so much data.

* * *

"You should go now, Juliana. Go home. Don't call security, and I'll keep your secrets. Otherwise, I think you and your nice little research group might find yourselves with some unwanted attention."

Juliana pursed her lips, studying her fellow Pretender. Jarod leaned against the wall, arms crossed and just looked back at her. She swore under her breath, anger and a spark of hatred in her eyes.

"If you had any proof beyond your own observations, you wouldn't be here Jarod. You'd have already reported us."

"What I do or don't have is irrelevant, and you know it, Juliana. As long as no one starts looking, it doesn't matter."

Her lips thinned and she turned her head, looking through the observation window. The team was in full control of the lab by then. When she looked back, the anger in her eyes had grown.

"You came for her. You came for Roslin, didn't you?"

"Let's just say I have an interest in some of her abilities and leave it at that, shall we? Take my offer and you have time to clean things up. Don't, and there will be investigators here by the end of the day."

The two Pretenders studied each other for several minutes. Finally Juliana sighed.

"Fine, take her and get out, but I won't forget this Jarod. If anyone comes sniffing around Paragon, you will regret it."

Jarod smiled slightly and nodded toward the door. It was time to rejoin the others.

"After you."

* * *

The lab door swung open, startling us. It was Jarod, looking just a bit harried. I frowned, letting the current file finish downloading and pulling the drive out. Something about Jarod's stance told me it was time to go.

"Let's get moving guys."

I stood up, heading for Emma and Roslin, but Jarod waved me off. He picked Roslin up himself and started for the door.

"You all have abilities we might night on the way out. I've got her."

He had a point, and it was time to go. I took a last look around before following the others. I wanted a clear memory of the place. Adam would want as much information as possible when we got back.

Things had gone so smoothly inside the secure area that we let our guard down. We made it out of the secure area and halfway back to the corporate tower before the lapse caught up with us in the shape of three security guards. I suppose we were lucky they were only armed with batons and not guns. There's no way I could have shielded everyone at the same time.

Emma and I stayed with Jarod, edging toward the corporate tower. Brennan and Shal put themselves between us and the guards. Brennan didn't bother to spark up. Three to two when one of the two was a feral wasn't much of a contest. Besides, we didn't need to take the guards out. We just needed to get out of the building. It was nerve-wracking for most of us, though Shal seemed to be enjoying herself.

I ran through the floor-plans in my head. If I remembered right, we didn't need to make our way through the corridors. If we could get to the wall behind Jarod, I could phase everyone through to the corridor behind it. A second phase through the corridor's other wall would get us to the elevators. I nudged Jarod toward the wall. Emma would stick with us, and I could count on Brennan to keep Shalimar from getting too involved in the fight.

Brennan waited until we reached the wall before sparking up. I took a deep breath, put a hand on the wall and exhaled. As the wall phased, Brennan fired off a tesla coil with just enough juice to stun the guards. I followed him through the wall and took a minute to catch my breath after I let the phase go. I didn't have much time. The guards would recover from the shock pretty quickly, so I needed to phase the next wall and get everyone through before they got to us.

I shook myself and focused on the wall as I crossed the corridor. A slow exhale and the wall phased. I waved everyone through, keeping one eye on the far end of the corridor. Shal went first, just in case someone was on the other side. Brennan waited until everyone else was through, but just as he stepped through the wall, one of the guards made it around the corner.

I let the phase go and turned to face him. I had a couple of seconds to size up the corridor. Narrow, but not narrow enough to make me uncomfortable. There wasn't room for anything fancy, so this was going to be more a boxing match than anything else.

They had a little training, but didn't know how to win this kind of fight. He didn't follow up when he landed a punch, and even though he hit hard, he didn't aim for anything vital. He did have some speed and the fight lasted longer than I liked. Finally I landed a solid combination and he hit the floor, dazed. I wiped the blood from my lower lip before exhaling and phasing through the wall to join the others. All in all, a split lip and a soon-to-be black eye were a small price to pay for getting Roslin out of there.

The others were waiting at the elevator for me. After getting caught like that, the elevator made me nervous. I knew it was clear. The tower would be empty for another hour or more. I had to take a deep breath before I followed the others into the elevator. Between the adrenaline and nerves, claustrophobia was trying to raise its head. I kept my back to the doors and my eyes on Roslin, still unconscious in Jarod's arms. It was enough to keep the walls from closing in on me. As soon as the doors opened enough for me back out of there, I did, with a huge amount of relief.

As soon as we got back to the Double Helix, Jarod and I made Roslin as comfortable as possible and started the medical scans. I did a blood draw, sending the results directly to Adam. Roslin was still out and it would take even Adam a few minutes to evaluate the data. While we waited, I plugged in the flash drive and started uploading the data to Sanctuary.

Brennan and Shalimar hand their hands full. The weather had kicked up into a pretty nasty storm. We all strapped in as turbulence shook the aircraft. I watched the progress of the upload. Emma had that distant look that said she was either connected with Roslin, or trying to connect with her. Jarod was staring at the blank screen in front of him.

Finally Adam got back to us. He was hesitant to add anything to the chemical cocktail already in Roslin's system unless it became necessary. I didn't know whether to hope Roslin would wake up before we got back to Sanctuary or not. It would reassure me, but I didn't know if it would be a good thing for her.


	27. Data and Dreams

Adam was keeping a close eye on the scans coming from the Helix. What he was seeing concerned him. Roslin wasn't processing the drugs in her system the way he expected. She seemed to be metabolizing them more quickly than normal. He was going to have to keep a close eye on her blood work in case there was a problem. At least her physical injuries weren't life threatening. The concussion might be a problem, depending on just what Juliana's people had done to her.

Emma's voice came over his private frequency, which meant there was something she wasn't ready to share with the rest of the team.

"Adam, we may have a problem."

"What have you got, Emma?"

"There was another psionic in the lab when we got there. I was focused on Roslin and Shal went up against him, so I didn't pay any attention to him at first."

A feeling of dread swept over Adam.

"You think he had something to do with the tests they running on Roslin?"

"I know he did." Emma paused, and he could hear her tapping keys. "Adam, he was wearing a neural visualizer. The test parameters were active. Give me a sec.

Another pause, and when Emma's voices returned, it was softer and full of worry.

"His power is to create full sensory hallucinations based on data he pulls from a person's mind."

"And one of the drugs they gave Roslin was a psychotropic. It would enhance the hallucinations he was creating for her."

Adam sighed and rubbed the back of his neck as he spoke again. "Roslin's not going to know what was real and what wasn't."

Anxiety touched the empath's voice. There was something else she was sensing.

"Adam, who and what did he pull from her mind? Who is she going to think was hurting her?"

Closing his eyes, Adam let out a slow breath. He wasn't sure he wanted the answers to those questions. He was certain they needed to know.

"I know she's still unconscious, Emma, but can you try to read her? The drugs are still in her system and whatever he created for her should still be near the surface of her mind. You may be able to get something."

There was a long silence that ended with a soft gasp.

"It's us, Adam. I mean..." Emma's voice wavered. "Not all of us. It's you, me, and... and Jess."

Adam tapped his forefingers against his lips as he considered.

"All right. At least we know. Thanks, Emma. Keep an eye on her, but try to get some rest."

Studying the scans didn't give Adam the information he was looking for. He tapped a few queries into the computer, frowning when the results came up. Roslin was still processing some of the drugs in her system more quickly than normal and he didn't have enough information to know why at this point.

Given what Emma had discovered, Adam wanted Roslin in the med-lab when she woke up. From the looks of the scans, it was more than possible she would regain consciousness before they got back. Considering the options, Adam didn't come up with any he really liked. After a few minutes, he came to a decision and keyed his com-link.

"Jesse, I'm sending you some information. I want you to administer a sedative to Roslin."

There was silence while Jesse reviewed the data. When he spoke, his concern and request for confirmation were evident in his voice.

"Are you sure, Adam? There's already a lot in her system."

The molecular wasn't challenging him, but she was more aware than most people that mutant genetics could alter the way drugs metabolized and interacted. It was something he had personal experience with.

"We need to keep her unconscious until you get back here and we can evaluate what was done. Based on the readings I'm seeing, I don't think she'll stay out without the sedative. I don't like it, but I also don't see any other alternative."

"Understood, Adam. You getting everything you need from the scans?"

"Yeah, Jess. Everything is coming through fine. I'll see you guys when you get back here."

Jesse administered the sedative per Adam's instructions then leaned back in his seat. There was something Adam wasn't telling him, not unusual. But this time, Jesse had a feeling that whatever Adam had left out was important.

The team moved quickly when they got back to Sanctuary. Brennan and Shalimar took care of the Helix. Jesse, Emma, and Jarod got Roslin to the med-lab, along with all the data they'd taken from Paragon. Then Adam shooed Emma and Jess out of the lab, gesturing for Jarod to stay behind. Keying communications to the hanger, he asked Brennan and Shalimar to stay close. After closing the link down, he leaned back against the counter with a sigh.

Jarod cocked his head to one side, his expression curious, but he didn't say anything.

"You might want to brush up on your medical knowledge, Jarod. You're going to need it."

The Pretender's eyebrows rose.

"Why? I trust you. Roslin trusts you."

"She did." Adam sighed, crossing the lab to the nearest computer. "She probably won't when she wakes up."

Adam studied the computer screen as he explained what Emma had learned. When he was done, he heard a slow exhalation from the other man, then Jarod was at his side.

"Right then. Run me through what you've got and how to work all this." He paused and rested a hand on Adam's shoulder. "Is Emma going to tell Jesse, or are you?"

Adam's shoulders sagged slightly before he inhaled and straightened up.

"I will. I'll let Brennan and Shalimar know they'll be assisting you. They're familiar with the equipment and procedures."

He finally turned to face Jarod, a slight smile with no humor to it on his lips as he gestured toward the observation room.

"If you need help, we won't be far."

"Good to know." Jarod smiled briefly. "I trust you Adam. And when Roslin recovers, she will trust you again too."

Brennan reported the work on the Helix done. Adam told him and Shalimar to report to the med-lab, leaving Jarod to explain the situation to them. Then he went to find Jesse.

* * *

Emma followed me even though Adam had told her to get some rest. That meant she knew something, and she didn't think I'd take it well, whatever it was. She didn't say anything though, so I ignored her, settling in front of my screens and starting to pull data up.

I heard someone come up the stairs, stopping just at the corner of my vision. My attention wasn't as focused on the data they assumed, so I saw the glance Adam exchanged with Emma. Whatever Adam had to say, I didn't want to hear it. He should have been in the lab taking care of Roslin. I focused in on the screens in front of me.

Adam became a solid mass as he stepped closer, but I continued to ignore him. Usually when I do that, he gives up. After a few minutes, he reached over and switched one of the screens off. I blinked. That was unusual. Slowly, I turned my head to look at my mentor. His expression registered and I lifted the arm of the chair, sitting up and turning to face him. Leaning forward, I rested my elbows on my knees.

"Why do I know that I'm not going to like whatever you have to tell me, Adam?"

"Because you're right, Jess."

Adam suddenly seemed tired. He pulled a chair over and sat down. He told me what Emma had discovered about the experiments Juliana's people had been running on Roslin. It made me angry and I regretted that I hadn't had time to plant a nasty virus or something in their system. Juliana and Paragon were going to get away with what they'd done to Roslin. I felt my expression go blank, even as I started popping my knuckles. Adam could read the signs and had no trouble telling how angry I was. His next words didn't help.

"Jess, you can't go anywhere near her in this mood. It will only reinforce whatever hallucinations she was having."

I wanted to argue with him, but I couldn't. Adam was right. Closing my eyes, I rested my forehead on folded hands and took a couple of deep breaths. My face felt like stone when I raised my head again, but my anger was mostly under control. I looked at my mentor for a few seconds then swung around to face the screens, switching the monitor back on.

"You're right, Adam. I don't like it, but that doesn't make you wrong." I didn't look at him, focusing on the data instead. "I need to do something though. There's a lot of data to run through and Paragon and Juliana are still out there. On the larger scale, we didn't hurt them or stop their experiments."

Adam stood, resting a hand on my shoulder briefly.

"We'll keep you updated, Jess." I could hear sorrow, concern, and a bit of pride in his voice. "Join us when you can."

* * *

Juliana Nolan was furious. She finally had Roslin in her control and Jarod and his friends had ruined it. Dr. Harrison was no happier than she was – their visitors had taken all the test data. They hadn't just copied it – they'd removed it from Paragon's servers.

Jarod's presence had come as a surprise. And it was going to set Paragon's experimental track back considerably. She was going to have to bury that side of the company so deep that not even Jarod could find it. Despite what he'd said, Juliana knew the man well enough to know that he would find some way to stop their genetic research.

Then there were his friends. Harrison recognized them, so at least she knew who to blame. Of course it meant an on-going connection with Genomex, something Juliana wasn't completely happy with. Then again, Genomex already spent its money trying to track Mutant X, so there was little reason to her to duplicate their costs or efforts.

Juliana called all the involved department heads into her office. It was time to start planning and instituting the changes necessary to hide the genetic research track. Then she'd deal with Eckhardt and Harrison.

* * *

It was a small twitch that caught Shalimar's attention. She studied Roslin for several minutes, feral senses picking up the scent of fear. The scans didn't indicate that Roslin was waking up yet, but she motioned Jarod and Brennan over to take a look.

They were all studying the scans when the fear scent spiked. Roslin jerked and started writhing and flailing. Her motion put her in danger of falling from the bio-chair, in danger of hurting herself. Brennan made a grab for her, getting a few bruises before he managed to get a hold of her upper arms. Shal dodged in to secure her legs. Roslin struggled against the restraint, caught in whatever nightmare she was experiencing. As suddenly as it had started, it stopped and she went limp in their grasp.

Shal, Brennan, and Jarod looked at each other for several minutes. Finally Jarod joined the other two. He stared at Roslin for a few seconds and came to a decision. Reaching out, he fastened one of the restraints around Roslin's wrist before looking at them.

"We don't know what just happened or how she'll react when she wakes up. Until we do, it's the only way to make sure she doesn't hurt herself."

It took a few minutes before Brennan and Shal moved to fasten the other restraints and it was obvious they didn't like it. But they didn't argue with Jarod about it either. He was right. Even if Roslin wasn't going to be exactly reassured by the restraints when she did wake up.

Jarod pulled a chair over to the bio-bed and sat down before gesturing toward the door. "I think she'll probably wake up soon. Take a break. I'll sit with her."

Brennan gave Jarod a slight smile, more than happy to get out of the lab. Shalimar was more reluctant to leave, but in the end she went with Brennan.

* * *

Roslin drifted up to consciousness. She was aware of other presences, their thoughts and feelings, but only dimly, on the other other side of a deep ache in her head and a burning pain in her shoulder. It hurt less if she remained still and didn't think. She couldn't get back to that empty darkness she'd been in. It hadn't been pleasant, but at least she hadn't hurt so much. Remaining passive seemed like her best option, at least as far as her swirling thoughts could reason things out.

Jarod shifted his chair closer, making sure he would be within Roslin's line of sight. Sitting down, he took a deep breath. He could sit there and worry, risking Roslin would wake up apprehensive and scared. Or he could concentrate on how relieved he was that they'd gotten her away from Juliana and Harrison, hopefully soothing her. Jarod turned his thoughts to the positive and concentrated on keeping them there while he waited.

* * *

Shalimar and Brennan found Adam in the observation room, intent on a comparison between two DNA models. It took a few minutes to get his attention and fill him in on what had happened. Their mentor stood up and stretched before studying Roslin's scans. He keyed in a new command to the computer and Shalimar shuddered. Adam offered her an apologetic smile.

"Sorry Shal. I just activated the EM field around the lab. We're outside it, so it should keep Roslin from sensing our thoughts and emotions."

Shalimar nodded, curling up in one of the chairs just as Emma came in the door.

"I felt the field go up. She's coming to?"

Adam nodded, keeping the DNA comparison up on one set of monitors and bringing Roslin's current scans, along with data on the drugs she'd been given, on another set.

"Jarod's staying with her. I figured it would be better all around if Roslin didn't have to deal with anyone else's feelings or thoughts at first."

"Probably too true, Adam," Emma said as she handed him a mug of coffee. "I finally got Jess off the computer. He's in the dojo, working off some excess energy."

"Good. Thank you. Hopefully he'll get a handle on his anger once he's worked off some of his frustration."

"Adam," Brennan gave Shal's shoulders a rub as he spoke. "I could use a workout myself after so much time in the lab. I'll make sure Jess doesn't overdo it."

Adam flashed a quick, but grateful smile in the elemental's direction. He was worried about Jesse, but he needed to stay available in case Jarod needed help. "Thanks, Brennan."

Emma switched places with Bren, leaving his path to the door clear. She rested one hand on her friend's shoulder and projected a general calmness. Shal was sitting quietly, but it was a leashed energy, not calm that kept her there. It was hard for the feral to be passive, but her 'little brother' needed his space right now, not a momma lion, and there was nothing she could do for Roslin.


	28. Hope and Light

Gradually, a single thread of thoughts and feelings came clear and Roslin recognized it almost without thinking. Opening her eyes was harder than she expected, the sudden light making her head throb.

"Jarod?" Even though it was barely a whisper, her voice seemed almost too loud to her.

"Hey Roslin. Welcome back."

Jarod smiled, relief at seeing her awake echoing in his thoughts and emotions.

She tried to smile in return, but her mind was slowly starting to function again. Roslin realized where she was, adrenaline flooding her system as she recognized the lab. Trying to sit up only brought pain and the realization that wrists and ankles were restrained. She panicked, struggling harder and forgetting she wasn't alone.

"Hey, hey, Roslin."

Jarod saw the panic enter her eyes and he was on his feet immediately. Talking softly, he rested his hands on her shoulders for a moment before moving to unfasten the restraints at her wrists. It took longer than he liked for her to focus on the new freedom and for the panic to start receding.

"You're safe, Roslin. No one is going to hurt you." Jarod kept eye contact with her as he spoke, hoping Roslin would relax a bit. "Most of what you remember didn't really happen, Ros. Juliana had her people drug you and let a psionic mess with your head before we were able to find you."

Roslin took a few shuddering breaths and nodded slowly. As Jarod moved to undo the other restraints, she leaned back into the support of the bio-chair, just trying focus on what was going on now. It took a few minutes before she trusted her voice enough to speak and when she did, her voice was hoarse and weak.

"I remember things, Jarod. They felt real, bu..." She coughed, closing her eyes as her head began to throb. When it subsided a little, she continued. "They seemed real, but wrong. If that makes any sense."

"The psionic they had working on you was able to create full sensory hallucinations. That would make them seem real rather than like dreams." Shalimar's voice floated into the lab as the feral arrived. Roslin stiffened at the sound, but by the time Shal had crossed the lab, she managed to relax. She was able to take the glass of water the other woman offered without her hand shaking.

Roslin took a sip of water, her voice less hoarse when she spoke again. "I remember thinking something was off, I think."

Jarod moved to check the scans, still keeping an eye on Roslin. Shalimar took the opportunity to steal the chair he'd been sitting in.

"What's the first thing you remember after the GSA grabbed you, honey?"

Roslin thought for a second. "Waking up in a cell. Thorne took me to Harrison's lab. Eckhart and Juliana showed up. Then it gets fuzzy. Just bits and pieces."

As she talked, the hand holding the water began to tremble. Jarod left the computer, coming to her side and resting a hand on her shoulder. Roslin took another drink, her voice uncertain as she continued.

"I remember being home, I think."

She shook her head slightly, trying to clear the memories up, but it only made her head ache worse. Shalimar took her hand, brown eyes meeting hers before the feral spoke. "Honey, after you warned Jess, you never went back home. Emma and I picked your stuff up for you."

Shalimar's voice was gentle, but the words didn't seem to want to register. Roslin leaned back and closed her eyes, trying to think. She didn't notice when Jarod slipped the glass from her hand. Shalimar was telling the truth - Roslin couldn't help but sense that. She wanted to believe the other woman. It made more sense than the bits and pieces she was remembering.

"I don't know what to think. It doesn't make any sense."

Shalimar brushed some hair from Roslin's forehead, her touch light. "Don't try to figure it out right now, Roslin. Get some rest. Jarod and I will both be here if you need anything."

* * *

It only took a few minutes for Roslin's eyes to close, and she appeared to sleep quietly under the watchful attention of both Shalimar and Jarod.

I was working out against the bag when Brennan showed up. I had already worked up a sweat, but working myself to exhaustion was the only way I could think of to stay away from the lab. He steadied the bag for me, not saying anything for several minutes.

"How about something a little more challenging, bro?"

I thought for a moment before nodding and moving to the center of the room. Bren let the bag swing free, crossing to the only keyboard in the dojo. He punched in a few commands, activating one of the more advanced simulations. There was just enough time for him to join me before the tangible holograms of GS agents came at us.

By the time the simulation ended, we were both staggering.

Brennan punched my shoulder lightly. "You going to be okay, now?"

I wiped the sweat from my face before answering him. "For now."

Taking a deep breath, I tried to explain at least part of what had me so upset, the part that wasn't obvious. "Roslin's been through so much, Bren. And Juliana's still out there, with all of Paragon's resources behind her."

That stopped my firend cold. I could tell he hadn't thought past rescuing Roslin. His expression turned thoughtful and just a bit worried. "And we don't know what Paragon's real goals are. I didn't think about that Jess. We may be dealing with another, more secretive, Genomex."

"With better security. I didn't have time to set any backdoors in their system. If Juliana is half as good as Jarod said, she'll make sure their security is increased all around."

* * *

"Damn," by the sound of Bren's voice, he was as depressed as I was now.

Tired, but showered and with a fresh cup of coffee, I made my way to the observation room. I acknowledged the others, settling in front of one of the computers. It looked like I might have gotten more than I expected from Paragon's systems, and I was still sorting through all the data. Right now, I just needed to find anything pertaining to Roslin.

Emma had filled me in, so I knew that Roslin woken up and was just sleeping now. I also knew about how she had panicked at first, but things had been quiet for a while before I found anything significant.

"Adam," my voice was louder than I intended and it startled my mentor. "I found the data on the experiment that caused Roslin's telepathy."

Adam didn't wait for me to shunt the data over to him, joining me instead. He studied the screen for a few minutes, then pointed out the changes, half-nodding to himself. "They didn't know about her empathy, but these alterations didn't destabilize it. It's just the connection between the empathy and telepathy that makes it seem they're both mutating."

"Well, that's good news, I suppose." I sighed, looking at the screens. "There's still a lot of data to go through, Adam. They've been runnig this genetic program for a long time."

Concentrate on anything concerning Roslin for now, Jess. We can sort through the rest of it later."

xxxxx

Roslin woke up and managed to eat something, but she was uneasy even with Jarod. Adam suspected she was still trying to determine which memories were real and which ones weren't. I wanted to go down to the lab, but I was afraid it would do more harm than good, so I watched from the observation window until she fell asleep again.

Once back at my computer, I added a 'time created' parameter to the search filters. Suddenly several large files popped to the top of the list. Frowning I brought up the properties of the first file. It was a video file and I looked at the time stamp. It matched the time we were at Paragon. I opened the file.

"Oh my god..." I doubt Emma heard the words, but I know she felt the spike in my emotions as I watched the video. I barely noticed when she joined me.

"That's..." She turned away from the monitor. "Adam, Jesse found the output from the neural visualizer."

Turning back to me, Emma rested a hand on my shoulder. "Restart it, Jess."

I really didn't want to watch it again and I fidgeted with my earlobe for a minute before doing as she'd asked. The twisted versions of me, Adam, and Emma were hard to watch. I let my attention drift when a new window opened at the bottom of the screen showing more video files. "Guys, there are other files. No wonder she's afraid of us."

I took extra care as I shoved back from the computer and stood up. I couldn't just sit there. Pacing might not help, but at least I wouldn't be looking at those videos.

"Roslin already has trust issues. I don't know if she's going to be able to get past those." I gestured at the monitor, still pacing.

"She will."

The unfamiliar voice stopped me. I turned to see Jarod standing near the door. I hadn't even realized he'd left the lab.

"Now that we can show her which memories are false, her abilities will do the rest. It'll take some time, but she'll trust you all again, and sooner than you might think, Jesse."

I looked at him for a moment, knowing the hope his words had sparked showed. Finally, I nodded and headed back to the computer with renewed energy.

* * *

"All right then. Let me make sure I found all the video files."

It was late by the time I found all the files and we decided to wait until the next day to tell Roslin about them. I wanted to be the one to give her the news, but Jarod and Adam were worried about how she might react to seeing me. It took a lot of talking, but finally I convinced them as long as Jarod and Shalimar were with Roslin when I did and that I didn't come too close to Roslin.

I thought I was ready for it, but Roslin's reaction when I stepped through the lab door left me speechless. She flinched, fear and betrayal warring with trust in her eyes and in her expression. Expecting that reaction wasn't the same as experiencing it. I stayed where I was.

Shalimar stepped to Roslin's side, resting a hand on her arm and murmurring quiet reassurances. Jarod stayed at the computer, but I could tell he was monitoring the situation closely.

Finally I cleared my throat and spoke. "We have something you need to see when you're ready, Roslin. Paragon recorded the false memories they gave you."

I looked Roslin in the eyes, trying to project my concern and sincerity without coming any closer. The last thing I wanted to do was scare her even more. I understood why she was afraid, but it hurt that she was afraid of me.

"I know you're confused. Hopefully the files we found will help you straighten things out." I caught Jarod's slight nod and continued. "We're here when you're ready, Roslin. All you have to do is ask."

Roslin was looking more thoughtful and less afraid. I offered a slight smile, hoping it was a good sign, before I turned to leave. As the door slid open, I heard Roslin asking to see the files, and I began to believe that Jarod had been right.

* * *

To everyone who has stuck with the story to the end, thank you. I have a sequel in mind, so if you want to find out how well Roslin recovers and what Juliana, Harrison, and Eckhart are up to, please leave me a review or comment. Anonymous reviews should be enabled, so you don't have to have an account on the site to leave one.


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